Usually the basics for good curb appeal and return would be:Green grass (no weeds or big empty patches), have the trees and bushes pruned.Use low lying flowers/shrubs at front of house so there's some color and character.. but you're not blocking up the view of front of the homeKeeping things generally 'manicured' is the better way to go. 

@Heather LawlerAs others have suggested - I would look into seeing if there are investment opportunities in Iowa where you live.Usually, states within the midwest offer attractable rate of return/cash flow.

A good CoC return depends on the return goals of your passive investors.

Supposedly it's best to send a postcard first because it's the cheapest and you'll get the non deliverables back returned to you so that you can further scrub your list or skip trace those returned cards and find the real addresses of the owners.

@Monisha Nabar One model to consider is the passive investor who brings the money gets all of the net rental cash flow until their initial capital is returned and then the split goes to 50/50 for remaining cash flow and sales proceeds

She has since reached out to him and he hasn't returned her calls either.

and given that returns on these are right at 15 to 20% kind of best case for any volume ( granted I know we all hit our homeruns sometimes) but how can you pay that rate and make any money on the delta.. you would need to be buying pretty big tapes and then you would owe them money while your not making any money stabilizing the collateral.. unless their interest payments are on accrual.. ????? 

I feel tenants would be less likely to take great care of the property if they realize they've already lost out on 1/2 their security being returned.

@John Wallace This is in relation to the deductibility of interest on the borrower's individual income tax return as an itemized deduction (Schedule A).If the proceeds from an equity loan are used to purchase another investment property, the interest will be deductible against rental income.We have to apply the tracing rules when determining the deductibility of interest payments.

(I get it - I've done this multiple times myself, but you need a friend in the business to write up the bid because they are doing you a favor with no return)If you're able to keep these things in mind when talking to one, you might be able to mitigate some of these obstacles and actually get one out there.