If I am unable to sell and need to re-list though, I am afraid holding costs will really start to cut into my profits.

We have been doing this for about a year and a half now and we have been cutting our competition off at the knees....

If you end up buying a $675k property, $500 rent is just not going to cut it.

Owner occupied, rent the other half to see if I am cut for the landlord business.

The dog barks outside and neighbors do not want them so tenants hide inside  and the dog tears up the place trying to get out.250 doesn't cut it for a pet retainer.   

Do they mind having to cut the grass or change the air filters?

I cut the standard 10% that I’ve observed on BP in half due to that fact.

Sometimes, I see the premium removed from the auction, which I assume means the property has reached a price above what the bank needs plus auction's cut

and I don't have the time to worry about that tenant demographic it cuts into my BP time :)And for those of you hitting your numbers and having good experience's you live there and work it generally speaking...

Cutting out commissions by dealing directly with the owner sounds feasible for a small deal but experts are needed for the big ones I have to believe.Gerald, thanks for pointing me in the right direction on Bigger Pockets by category.