When you have a network of mentors and experienced advisers to double check investment decisions then your fear can be pushed to the side.It is strange though that the American public has very little fear of maxing out their credit cards on flat screen plasma TVs and buying gas guzzling automobiles but has such fear of real estate.

My profession is in the electrical industry.

Running 3 20amp electrical and also the window heights will be different.Also I don't think they will let you do this 

Some of these items could be your preference for responsibility.If you wish to find out what the current or previous owner was paying (to get an average of monthly costs), you can call the electric company, water, sewer, etc, and tell them that you are looking to purchase a property and wanted to get info on the past usage.

Just make sure that you are not responsible for the electrical bill.  

If the job is small enough like electrical upgrade, copper pipe change-out, changing windows, etc..., going out the truck to get his numbers straight for a quick 10-15 minutes is typical. 

And don't forget the carrying costs - insurance, loan payments, property taxes, water, sewer, electricity, etc.

Often times in SFH conversions to apts, there is a common furnace and sometimes even common electric, and they almost always have common water, sewer and trash bills. 

We found out that the electrical had to be upgraded for about $1200, but no new problems came up.  

Every time I have analyzed a solar lease it has been at or below my average electric bill.