. $100 net cash flow per door (after mortgage, tax and insurance, I'm calculating 5% for vacancy, 10% for maintenance and repairs and a flat amount of $150 for capex reserves per house).

I recently found a sweet CASH ONLY deal that had 100k equity (40% ROI) baked in day one, but since I had no cash available at the moment I was forced to sell this deal to someone I know for only 8k and I feel that it was not a fair play and I should have asked for at least 25% of the profit.

Tenant may be able to keep drains clean and clear with regular maintenance by pouring down the drain a quarter cup of baking soda followed by a half cup of vinegar.If there is a minor clog in the p-trap (the curved portion) of the pipe under the sink, Tenant may disconnect the pipe, clear the pipe manually, and reconnect the pipe to clear the clog or may call Landlord for assistance.HOME DECORATING.Pictures and shelving may be attached only to drywall walls, using approved hanging devices.Approved hanging devices, such as picture hooks, are available from Landlord at no extra charge.Walls must be returned to their original condition upon end of tenancy.Tenant agrees not to pierce any brick, masonry, woodwork, cabinet or door with nails, screws or any hanging device, as doing so may cause damage beyond repair.Painting is not allowed without prior written consent of Landlord.Holiday decorative lights may be used if they are in good condition, used according to manufacturer instructions, installed at a safe distance from flammable objects, and used in a safe manner, taking caution not to overload electrical circuits.

My other three properties are in Charlotte.When I did a search for "Best cities for real estate investors" I get the following list from Realtor.com:----------------------Those focused on getting a healthy flow of rental income from the get-go might want to cut this list out and put it on the wall: Cleveland, OH, at 11.1%Columbia, SC, at 9.7 %Birmingham, AL, at 8.5%Pittsburgh, PA, at 8.4%Milwaukee, WI, at 8.4%Cincinnati, OH, at 8.2%Memphis, TN, at 8%Greenville, SC, at 8%Tampa, FL, at 8%Philadelphia, PA, at 8%---------------------I'm not sure I want to trust Realtor.com to help me decide where to invest.

I am panning on buying a 2 flat in the Logan Square area (short sale). 

No joke, I was flat-broke and my credit was in ruins when I started.  

I did exactly what you're doing, I got licensed to get access to the MLS, I had no intention to get listings; initially, I made the mistake of working with a Remax broker, it costed me around $300/month and I'd had to share a %  of the commission of whatever deal I'd do.If you're looking to do only RE investing and/or wholesale, look for a flat fee broker and save the monthly fee to get leads to build your business.

I am on 2nd floor w $300k, my neighbor has $700k... the guys on 3 floor bought theirs last year $3m in cash last year... theirs is flat, so twice of my size... hence the price 

One option that we have when we move is to move into my mother in laws 3 flat and live rent free if we update the 3 bedroom (with full basement) unit.

also, the roof above the garage and enclosed porch is flat and just has tar paper on it. how hard is that to fix?