Not to mention that Joe probably doesn't know what forms and disclosures to use to keep him out of legal trouble, how to instigate a bidding war, how to best handle multiple offers, how to push back on unreasonable buyer demands, how to negotiate the best terms, how to run an open house, how to document and handle escrow funds, etc.A lot of people think agents just show a house, shake a few hands and collect big fat checks. 

If you are in a negative cash flow situation and want to blame rates, then you need to trim fat, and/or bring more bread.  

Worth it compared to a big fat lawsuit and attorney fees.Hope that helps! 

Are these all hedge funds / institutional investors that bought this junk for $2.5k eight years ago, collected $50k in rent, and are now walking away from a trashed place with a fat ROI?

I guess I didn't explain how badly I have been wanting out of California but I kept putting it on the back burner because of my 9-5.

There's an old saying:Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.

See how nearly impossible it is to get a fat lazy lawyer off their fat lazy *** to write a two paragraph letter for $500.

I would say that my experience is that overall I like it better by a long shot than staying in a hotel - I actually hate hotels -  and I'm not really that picky so things like wore-out furniture and burners that don't work on a stove don't really bother me (though they would bother my wife).

How much more desirable is it if I add a kitchenette (sink, food prep area, two burner stove) and on-site laundry?

Usually this results in a big fat no.