Utilities costs (Gas, Electric, Water) for the past 6 monthsThis part of your motivated seller questionnaire gives you the information with which you'll be able to decide whether the property needs a short sale, whether seller financing is an option, and how to structure a deal or an offer that can work for both you and the homeowner.You'll also need this information to properly market the house to your investment property buyers.If you're a new real estate investor, I hope you arm yourself with the information on this page to work out win-win-win solutions for your sellers, your buyers and yourself.Motivated Seller Questionnaire Red FlagsThe power of the motivated seller questionnaire is that it helps guide your interview process, and gives you a framework to make the screening as conversational as possible (In other words, it's a script, without the mechanical sounding words and phrases).It helps you in the 4 following ways: Avoid Outright deception by prospective property sellersProperly screen your inbound leads for seller motivationHelps screen out irritable, irrational, potentially psychotic people you should never, ever deal withHelps you build rapport with target ideal candidatesSupplies information to help structure your dealsAvoiding Outright DeceptionI've had a property owner tell me "..All the house needs is less than $5,000 dollars in repairs, and it's ready..." on a house that clearly needed so much work ($35,000 to $40,000 dollars) that no buyer or agent had ever called him back.Better Motivated seller screeningBeing a successful real estate wholesaler is a matter of alignment.

For the past several months, I have been targeting small multifamily with an emphasis on cash flow as a means of progressing towards financial independence.

Not full gut remodels but the majority of the mechanicals were replaced, plumbing, some electrical, flooring, garage doors, and new roofs.

Here's an article on it (please scroll down about mid-way on the page):https://www.fidelity.com/viewp....You'll avoid the tax consequences as long as you pay it back - and that buys you time to close on your current home to use those proceeds.Do the research on the employer's plan to have a good understanding of the mechanics. 

Tax lien would be like mechanic lien??

Look into Mechanics Bank for one year interest only rehab/new construction financing.

In terms of rehabbing the property, the workflow can range from throwing a coat of paint on a wall or two, to an entire gut of the mechanicals, windows, siding, and flooring.

That can also protect you against fake mechanics liens. 

Fannie Mae 10% down loans for second homes/STR properties are not going away April 1st just in case you heard something different.A pic of my lake house that I used a 10% down Fannie loan to buy for emphasis.

It sounds like we may be a perfect fir for each other; our brokerage is in the South Bay but I live and work mostly in Sacramento and Fresno, and specialize in multifamily investment properties with an emphasis on the buy-and hold strategy.