The Houston, Tx. market (in my opinion), is positioned to be one of the first markets to rebound.My view is that it takes three main ingredients for a vital market: Plenty of inventory, qualified buyers, and access to cash.

Surely this is chomping away at a huge portion of your time?

If you even mention that they should have to take a 10% pay cut and pick up a portion of the cost of their benefits, they flip out.

Since the buyer won't agree to this, does that mean we essentially can't touch any portion of their deposit?

If the profits will pay for the fees and taxes for you to get your contributions out plus a large portion of those profits, why not?  

You may want to confirm with someone more experienced, however it is my understanding that once you have two years of rental/landlording income on your tax return you can count a portion of the rental income in your debt to income ratio for conventional lending.

Let's assume money wasn't an issue, maybe you won a lawsuit, or discovered gold in your backyard that ancient Egyptians dumped there 2,000 years ago so the vikings that were chasing them wouldn't steal it, who knows.With a portion of this money, you wanted to start doing BRRR to build your real estate empire over time (maybe it'll take you a year or maybe 10).

@Tracey O'Hara, if I understand you, the seller won't do a subject to, so he wants to move out, keep the deed, you put in 50K in rehab plus the mortgage holding costs, and then let him sell, and then try and get a portion of that profit because you fronted those costs?  

I was working for a couple companies, first an Independent Maintenance contractor who work a variety of multi family properties and did odd jobs, we did a small portion of a rehab of a 50+ unit apt complex,in San Antonio.

Jason Hirko Most likely still no, if water entered from roof (most possible a tore roof due to wind load), or broke a window then entered, then yes, that portion is covered.