Even with delays, which increased holding costs, and if the market had stayed flat, I would have made some money.  

Flat-out dishonest and unethical unless your rich friend/family member is allowing you to use those funds to close.    

Property taxes stayed pretty flat until the past few years.

Lashonda Jones you should be able to go to any local real estate broker and have comps pulled (usually for a flat fee).

Bp, the podcasts, Craigslist, and and REI group, going to landlording meetings, and reading the book of Proverbs in the Bible, plus just flat listening (also discerning the good advice from the bad!) 

If expenses are flat, I can afford to be more flexible with rent.How good is the tenant?

But I want to bake it well.

Any flush/flat door, hollow or solid I replace with hollow core molded  panel doors. any solid style and rail panel doors I try and keep.

Consider this, would you rather invest in Newark NJ where prices have remained flat since 2010 or Denver CO where prices are above where they were in 2007?  

We do flat roof coating, metal roof coating, shingle roofing, windows and trim, bathrooms/kitchens, siding/room addition, deck fence, flooring/driveways.