I am from Edinburg TX, currently work as an engineer for a big oil field company.

Taxes $10k, insurance $2835, owner's portion of electric (common areas) and heating fuel (oil) $8000, sewer & garbage $2000, vacancy 5%.

I'd be much more concerned about things like crumbling foundations, buried underground oil tanks, weird/illegal/collapsing extensions, etc.

The owner insisted the boiler worked and only needed oil.

The problem I have is though everywhere I research to learn a new tactic or am interested in a "guru" I have to drop tons of cash to buy into something that I have no guarantees their "snake oil" is the trick.

Account Closed down played a large deployment, but large deployments can and do happen, oil fields can and do crash with the oil market, automotive manufacturing can and does crash with changes in demand.

If tenants get a $400 winter electric bill for a 1 bed apt, they will move out after one winter to a cheaper place.We've separated heat in many building to have tenants pay.My first choice is gas hot air, possible with central air if the building can afford that.My second choice is anything else driven by gasMy third choice is heat pumpMy next choice is everything else.Old buildings have old windows, little to no insulation and need efficiency of heat, no oil, no electric heat.

He also stated that the oil sector is adding jobs.  

Or better yet, build that $7000-10000 shed, have the oil/gas company need to come out for emergency pipeline repair & watch that front end loader make quick work of your sweet shed.  

It is getting a little interesting now though it seems to be slowing somewhat and Houston is very heavily dependent on oil & gas and the medical field so with gas prices dropping some folks (not me) are a little nervous prices will recess a little bit.