Some offices have fees and others may pay expenses to cover you and expect you to produce.

"I'd rather spend $500 extra per month than save up $5k one-time and have a lowered monthly housing expense for three decades!"

In Seattle, I rent because I can find cheaper rentals in the urban location I desire, and it's so dang expensive to buy a home right where I want to live in Seattle.

It is different if you are the owner as you have the risk, maintenance, cap expenses, etc.  

Even if you wanted to save that expense, you should "pay" yourself that amount by allowing for it as part of your expenses.The problem is: a bad Property Manager will cost about the same dollars as a good one - but your expectation of positive investment returns could be reliant on finding/being a "good one"!

Given that the north side is so expensive now.

Hi, I'm a 27 year-old engineer looking to learn about commercial real estate investing in order to acquire properties that will provide a steady source of cash flow that will allow me to continuously add to my potentially higher-return stock positions, as well as cover living expenses. 

One way or another, however, the investors must work to pay down loans, increase rents and decrease expenses wherever possible.

Does "everything" include the estimated expenses on a rental property.

There were some expenses which we could not predict because the former owner had stripped out all the appliances etc.