well,   you are waiting to long to make your offer.I suspect your competition 1. is making offer sight unseen2. they know value3. they do the inspections and such during their due diligence period 4. if they don't like it during due diligence they foldNow there could be pet buyers that the listing agents have for sure this happens.. the folks I know that do this look at the hot sheet at 4am when it hits and have offers on listing brokers e mail before 7am.get first in line .

I'd like to have separate meters installed for each unit, to track usage, and to "uninclude" (for lack of a better word) utilities for a new tenant in the future. 

@Brad E.

Every time I post a house for rent I get a bunch of people e-mailing and texting me this almost exact text, voicemail, or email, "Hi Thomas, I am an investor and I saw your rental property on Craigslist.  

Then they pay their water bill with the city based on usage!

E. 

@Carolina E.

Your passive income should be run through an LLC taxed as a partnership or if SMLLC on your Sched E of your personal return as no reasonable compensation is needed and all income will run passive with no FICA/Medicare tax at all.

All your deductions go on the Sch-E. 

I like @Carolina E.'