Up until the past few days I have been absolutely SLOGGING through mountains and mountains of data that I got from the friendly, helpful folks at the Torrington, CT city hall tax assessor's office.

The added benefit is that you can just give you accountant the data file at the end of the year and he'll have most of what he needs to do your business taxes.

I think if a person becomes OBSESSED with anything, whether it is money, food, work, collecting stamps, etc..., it leads to an unbalanced life.

The association included $50,000 annually for attorney fees and used that much or more every year primarily suing fellow owners for stupid things.In all of my familiy's history, after all the real estate developments, tranactions and tax planning, we have never collectively come close to spending $50,000 spanning more than 90 years.

I considered asking for an option and auctioning on eBay but I thought I'd ask the collective mind here for guidance first.

If you aren't legal you'll find it pretty hard to collect back rents, evict anyone or act in the place of the owner in title. :)

The seller might just collect your option money and rent and let the house fall into foreclosure.

Anyone that uses the lines "I can't show you exactly how we do it" or "I can’t go over our historical data" is likely trying to rip you off!

I have found that states and counties vary as to quality of information available and how you access the data.

Given your mortgage payment of $800 and your rent collections of $2,000 (with you living in the cheap unit not paying rent), you would essentially be living rent free.