@Lauren LucasHere are some things I look for:1) Willing to spend time LISTENING to you, not just talking about themselves.2) Willing to explain things and answer questions.3) Reasonable scheduling.4) Not talking down to you.Here is what I try to stay away from:- Contractors who can't come out and quote you because they don't have enough money to put gas in their car.- Contractors who insist on payment in full BEFORE you do the job.- Contractors who have a criminal record.

Although discounted loans are not equal schedules to the borrower.

Also, as mentioned, there will be no way for you to know what any of these numbers actually are unless you get a copy of the Mortgagee asset schedule, which frankly will never happen.

And pick a cleaning schedule upfront.

If they can't make it right on your schedule then don't pay them as long as you have communicated your schedule up front.

Staying at or within a couple hundred dollars a month of Sec 8 schedules will be a safe bet, usually goes up to 4-5 bedroom rents. :)

My schedule hasn't allowed it, but it is definitely something that I want to check out.   

I know the 1st deal is always the hardest and most scary, but once you have gone through a couple it becomes routine and in my experience you just hope nothing un-expected pops up - like mortgages, liens, judgements, etc - which seems to happen A LOT.  

Thanks for the shoutout Elizabeth Colegrove have been scheduling some local meetups down in the South Bay..Come meet some other investors, and hear what everyone is up to, and where they're investing..

Then my work schedule got nuts, I didn't have time to study, and the course expired.