Yes friends in several markets have commented to me about some of these deals in what were considered barely breathing markets.

I guesss I could rip out all of the finished walls, and put mortar (waterproof) on the actually basement walls, and baring the masonry will help me keep an eye out for the rest of the structure and to make sure it doesn’t reach the rest of the house?

Keep an eye out for my friend @Soli Cayetano aka Lattes & Leases speaking session!

So to pull out the two zip codes in Birmingham as an example, here is the census data about population growth:Zip code 35040: 2010: 14965, 2017: 16714Zip code 35235 2010: 19484, 2017: 19630So both were technically growing in this data, 35235 just barely whereas 35040 is better especially from a percentage perspective.

You must put only the bare minimum of cash into a deal and pull out any equity available in the future to insure the maximum amount of true cash flow.

Money buys you a better lifestyle.For me I strip everything down to bare bones.

I worked with a management company to rent out my townhome and they sent me an application with a set of 3 roommates that barely makes enough as 2 and just squeaks by with the 3 to meet income requirements.

Even with 100k property, that will barely cover your down payment and closing costs.The best use of those funds would probably be to use it as a down payment on a house you can live in for a few years, and then rent out. 

I'd rather have a property double in value over the next 15 years and reap those benefits than receive $300/mo and have the value just barely keep pace with inflation. 

Im upside down and the rent barely covers the mortgage but expenses I have to cover.