I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you but they keep on changing this site.  

With 2 large universities and 2 fast growing, accredited colleges in a 10 mile radius this is pure rental market, and let me tell ya its fantastic. 

As with any RE investment, you can buy something as is and make changes to improve income over time.

My excuses kept getting the best of me until about a week or so ago when I decided it was time to make a change.

Fast forward to today and I have just over 400 deals to my credit...  

The owners at the time did not alert me to the change in occupancy and I had to find out about this change on my own thru random inspections of my own.Going forward, with future deals where the units are occupied, what strategies should I utilize to help ensure that I'm not taken by surprise when tenants up and leave.  

I do agree that for all parties a fixed price estimate is best (you need to know how to estimate properly).To be successful as a GC, things like getting a large deposit, making sure you are always staying ahead on billing and are spending clients money and not your own, marking up all costs at least 20% to cover OH&P, billing appropriately for change orders, not to mention staying up to date on latest building methods and continuing education, are the minimum requirements to last in this business.Of course you have to keep construction costs as low as possible when you are rehabbing a real estate project.  

The home prices in Syracuse don't change much, but it is GREAT for cash flow.

I am sorry that this is so late but the site keeps on changing.  

I am learning to change my ways, my perspective, and my goals for the future... and I must say, it is exhilarating.