If you have an iPhone you can do it through iTunes by classifying it as an audio book.

I think though one of the most misunderstood concepts of real estate is that at its base its totally passive.. that simply is not true.it can be once your in a deal.. but you still have to vette your syndicator and the deal.. that takes work.. and if your going to be in the business then EXACTLY your in the business... there are very few JOBs in real estate IE unless you work for someone on a w2 like a big developer as an employee.. other wise all of us are in the real estate business and are running our business's  never been a job for me LOL.. sometimes I wish I had taken that JOb in 1989 with Apple though  LOL.

Apple's second headquarters is here with 10,000 employees.  

Houses that are upgraded in our neighborhood command $150+/mo more in rent and sell $40k+ premium over non upgraded homes.We had 2 flooring contractors stop by during our option period and the quotes they gave us I am having trouble with because they are not apples to apples:Vendor 1) 1,300 sqft Engineered hardwood $10k Tile in the bathrooms, kitchen, breakfast nook, laundry (300 sq feet) $3kTub tile surround and 1 shower $2kTotal: $15,000Vendor 2) Labor including demo and install $5k1,300 sqft engineered hardwood $5kTile surround & shower tile $2kKitchen and bath floor tile $2kNow, I can do the math and see that one is cheaper in total.

A bad apple may slip through cracks one day and make me regret it, but for now it works.   

An apple isn't "worth" anything unless someone is hungry.

If I'm able to achieve the same investment metrics (IRR, CoC return, ROI, etc) is it like comparing "apples to apples" or more like "apples to oranges" since it's with different financing? 

For those who haven't yet seen the news about Apple, this is a good sign: Silicon Valley Business Journal: AppleApple is the largest tech company in the world, and growth for them is growth for Silicon Valley, and growth for the housing market in the Bay Area.

From my understanding and very recent interaction with an appraiser for a large national lender- Appraisals are just comparing apples to apples: sq. footage, property specs- baths/beds, basic features.So- I'm going to actually disagree slightly and say that appraisals can also be on the lower end of what you'll see with comps.

Are you comparing apples to apples?