Less down if more fixes needed, more down if cleaner plus sliding scale with #2.2) Put 20-30% down on a speculative property.

Other may engage in buy-sell speculation.

Since her area was not under rent control, the landlord was well within his rights.Due to the fact that it was MTM, I speculate the woman knew this was coming for quite some time.  

I have spent too much time speculating.

The downside is that it's not flipping, it's speculation. 

I hear so much how west coast is speculation vs. midwest is cashflow but I'll take double my $500k west coast in 5 years vs. $200 monthly cash faux....I wonder which region is really speculation? 

With all the speculation on where we are currently in the real estate cycle and some more or less anecdotal evidence supporting a market crash or still more golden years to come I wanted to know the numbers and facts and recently pulled some data out of our local MLS to get the facts and data. 

Oh, and it's on an EPA Superfund site... but even then, rents seem to be way below market, even for other units in the same site.I feel like it could work out great after doing some undetermined fixing-up and significant raises of rents, but both are also speculation, and I'm also loathe to give the seller money for value they're not going to do (and asking for a low cap, probably).Anyone have thoughts on this property? 

So, you'll need to invest time making HUNDREDS of low-ball offers to get one accepted or find a way to source properties BEFORE they are listed by an agent.So, you either have to accept it and speculate that future increases in rents & values will make it worthwhile, or invest out of state.You might want to follow the "Deep Dive" series we're doing on our BiggerPockets blog about Metro Detroit cities, City of Detroit Neighborhoods and comparing Metro Detroit to other hotspots investors usually consider:https://www.biggerpockets.com/...

The idea of betting on future events you have no control of isn't investing...it's speculating...and trouble waiting to happen.Cash flow, positive cash flow, is the risk control that makes an upside down property almost irrelevant...until you sell.