Bruce Norris also has an annual even called "I survived real estate" it was more germane post 2008 to 2010... but there was a lot of us that got our clocks cleaned.and there are a lot of investors who have started post GFC that only know a rising tide... and really have never worked through a retrench..

My close date deadline is early November, so I can (and would like to) move quickly if the right opportunity arises.

A rising tide lifts all boats and don't confuse luck and skill, especially in the short term.

Unfortunatly customers dont read the agreement , and when problems arise that are outside the scope of work , the customer usually assumes it was included in the price and becomes upset at the additional charges .  

Loan can go slightly over appraised value if the need were to arise.1.

However, $1500 leaves you no room in case an emergency inevitably comes up, e.g. broken HVAC, water heater breaks down, major plumbing issues arise, etc. 

If I were renting out a space in my own home especially, I would want to have a tenant-at-will first to see what potential issues could arise that could be addressed before a long term lease was signed.

I would combine this with a ''tenant manual'' so to say, which I know are out here on BP, which gives the tenant standard operating procedures should an issues like a clogged toilet arise.

Exactly Joseph, you definitely don't want an unhappy contractor working on your job, customers that think they know how to run a contractors business better than the contractor usually have a unhappy contractor working for them, Either way the contractor should always be polite and curious and understanding and be able to explain the method to their madness when a question arises, but some may have a short fuse, especially if you see a case of beer in the back of the truck that might be a red flag.

I can see where there could be some real issues arise even with everything drawn out on paper because time and cost of money will pay a major part in your arrangement.