There are more foundation issues on the east side of town as well due to the higher expansive clay soil content. 

Oh yea if you are in a bear area, they tend to take the bait stations if it is not staked down some how.

Bear in mind though that there are many differences between countries when it comes to real estate investing.

Also what is your strategy as that could have a bearing on what cities might suit you best 

In the interest of legal protections for you both and setting the exact stage so that this will have minimal risk of soiling your relationship, getting it all drawn up before a dollar is spent will likely keep you both happiest.

With utilities accounted for, how can I value the listing price that this property will bear? 

Tonight I accepted a cash offer on my vacation home up in Big Bear so I'm thinking it is time for a change of scenery, and I'm hoping to use the funds as a down payment somewhere in an OC beach town once I snipe the right opportunity.

A hoarder house the former occupant or others can't bear to clean out and put on the retail market, so they let it go as a pocket listing for an agent who is a family friend.

@Will Barnard I can't say that BP hasn't helped my career and REI education enormously, but there have been plenty of missteps...when Josh and Brandon were picking up momentum, the content provided was rushed in front of people with some obvious deficiencies...and podcast guests were not closely vetted...you have guys like Michael Quarles openly bragging as a licensed real estate broker negotiating sellers out of their equity and building wealth by performing open listings...beat people down on price and stick the property on MLS before the ink dries on the contract...and all the while new investors standing by with their jaws hung open in amazement at what an investment career he has made...there are plenty more examples....BP does bear culpability for facilitating discussions on the forums where individuals are implicitly brokering deals without a license or in clear intentional violation of their state laws.

Depends on your soil typeHill country rock just grade.