Essentially my taxes suddenly weren't being paid and they subsequently lowered my escrow payment.

I am in the Tampa Bay Florida area and look forward to meeting, working and learning from those who are willing to share your knowledge.Hi Allison, I moved to Columbus a few years ago (from Portland, Oregon which was super expensive) to become a full time real estate investor, and ever since, I've completed quite a lot of BRRRRs, flips, and own a successful rental portfolio here in Columbus Ohio. 

FinancingTo calculate how much you can afford for a property, the general rule of thumb is 30% of your gross monthly income on home related expenses.

It's expensive, but this might be the time to tap those "get cash fast" offers from your credit cards.

I super managed the property – income, expenses & loan - and took care of all maint. and mgt. issues (the water damage was handled through the previous owner’s property ins. ) and brought the occupancy to about 100% while raising rents about 20%.

Granted - these hard money guys don't play around with their rates and fees - but they'll get you more leverage and help you keep the equity requirements lower so that you can build up a strong track record and start taking down deals with your own / immediate family equity. 

Here's a breakdown of the pros and cons of syndication vs partnership to help you and your friends choose the right route:PartnershipProsEasier to set up - less paperwork to wade throughFlexible agreement - tailor it exactly how you guys wantPotentially lower costs - you save on feesConsAll for one, one for all - if things go south, your personal assets could be on the lineAdding or removing friends later?

If the homeowner is desperate enough to sign away his rights, you get $400.At best, you should be paid an hourly wage, plus expenses.  

Hoover is expensive.  

Alesha,Spring Hill is nice but you have to be careful on where you buy due to certain neighborhoods having lower rents. $650K seems high for a 4 unit in Spring Hill seems like more of a Tampa sale price do you know most recent sale date or have you looked at other comparable sales within 1-2 mile range.