But they do help maintain the value of the area indirectly by maintaining a certain standard for the area.

BP members, Hello, now you all can watch this Stress Test of the screwed up Citizens Home Owners Insurance that we were tricked into.

While it's possible that you have different standards for yourself, do you think it any less safe an area?  

If you are looking at a duplex, you would have to live in half in order to pay less than 20% down (maybe 15% some people say, but Ive never seen a bank loan 85% LTV on a non-owner occupied).To answer your question - I would have 4 months of straight mortgage payments PLUS your insurance deductible. 

i have also heard discussions about doing your own title search in the first place.. and not getting insurance or having a title company do itthe threshold of whether or not to do it  seems to be the cost of the property...

Investment 60,000Monthly rent 1050.HOA: 300Monthly Tax: 100Monthly Insurance: 20P&I:245Maintenance(10): 105Still 280 Left

So I'm assuming both building A and B are configured to be able to sell as separate units sch as individual meters, kitchen and bathrooms, in other words they meet your areas zoning code standards to be sold separately.

Include X percent for repairs, when there's not renters, tax, insurance, etc.  

Auction.com lists a few important docs: Trustee Sale Terms and ConditionsSample Trustee Deed Upon SaleSample Certificate of Sale/ReceiptIRS Form 8300Foreclosure Property InformationTitle Insurance Policy InformationI think the 1st four docs are those I need to fill up, sign up when auction is done.  

I just checked the Zestimate for our old house in Modesto (standard disclaimers about Zestimates apply...) - it's still barely more than half of what we paid for it in 2004, and less than half of what it appraised for in 2006...So, it's very possible to lose money in Northern CA if you buy at the wrong time, like we did.