My markup is always lower than the original lender's because I don't spend money advertising during the Super Bowl, my president doesn't have a corporate jet, and we don't have layers of management we need to pay.

 @Jordan Laney Asking what others pay for snow removal and comparing your yearly spend to past years is not productive.

If you are apprehensive of the market, and believe it will get worse before it gets better, you might consider going to cash, doing a private loan to a flipper on a project where it would be a screaming deal if you had to foreclose, and taking a look in 9 or 18 months. 

First, let's be very clear here.The mortgage your speaking of is a private agreement between the seller and the lender.

Our privately owned and centrally controlled monetary system, known as the Federal Reserve, and the legality of Fractional Reserve Banking is on a crash course for a battle between Freedom (Property Owners) and Royalty (the banks). 

I havnt done much analysis but need to spend more time doing it. 

Private Money vs Hard Money:Primate money is negotiable.

Spending on expensive upgrades is not the answer to improve your tenant base in this type of area.Keep the homes habitable, clean, and safe. 

Did you guys ever raise private money?

II wonder if it would stand up in court that they could force you to use their contractual payment requirements on your own Private property.