@Phil Van Dyke - I'm hoping that in the past two months that you have decided to pull the trigger on at least one of these houses.  

If your numbers are right, I would pull the trigger immediately.

I'm very scared to pull the trigger on this (it would be my second property) because of the condition of the house.

Didn't even have to push the defender to the ground, as you normally do in a hail mary - trigger warning, Packers fans ;)I had been challenged by the land use permit planner when my architect applied for substantial renovations to a grandfathered duplex in a single family zone.

@Patrick Wheeler rough estimate is 50% but all new plumbing and electrical will trigger a sprinkler system from my experience.

Not sure when we will actually pull the trigger on anything.

If an improperly installed handrail causes someone to fall down stairs and sustain major injuries the sub who installed the railing the gc and you could all be named in the suit.

For example a newbie may need to look at numerous properties and do walkthrough (before being really ready to pull the trigger) while learning to analyze the numbers in order to know whether or not there is a deal.What would you recommend to be appropriate and how can this be approached?"

Learn a reasonable amount and pull the trigger on your first deal!

We have homeowners insurance that covers personal injury on all our properties including our primary residence and our own personal vacation home.As far as Oceanside, CA is concerned they are welcoming VR's with open arms as they have been undergone extreme gentrification for the past 20 years and are now in the throes of building and billing Oceanside as a "destination tourist and vacation & resort community" what with all the hotels, timeshares and myriad condo, townhouse, row houses (which is what we currently own and VRBO and Air B&B's along with the great surfing, beautiful and accessible sandy beaches, hiking, biking, walking trails, wonderful eateries, boutiques, shops, etc.