I spoke to water department yesterday (because I haven't given up yet) and they said deal with your title company --- before I reached back out (again) to title company to say --- I'm not eating this whole thing myself or I am not using you again--- I wanted to reach out to the forum..... is there any statute?

I end up eating the water bill on all of my multi-family properties.  

You don't want to drag this out for months, and keep in mind many other things  can come up that eat into your profit.

In 30 years the appreciation will eat up the price difference and the rent growth will double and triple or more your rent rates.

So many people I know hang on to their jobs and pray they don't get layed off just so they can keep paying that 30 year mortgage on a single family house that is eating them alive.

I wanted to openly share a problem I am having and have yet to really fully over come it although I have been able to address and tackle some of the pitfalls I am encountering.I am renovating a downstairs space to create an apartment.I will need anywhere between 8-11k to complete. depending on how much work i do myself and what level of appliances and cabinetry I choose.So far after one year I have only done the electrical. demo. sheetrock and plumbing the plumbing was pretty extensive as an ejector pump had to be installed and the pipe routed over 16 feet across the attic space above the ceiling. a washer dryer connection was made and plumbing for refrigerator sink and bathroom were all completed.I am still so far away  doors, both exterior and intererior. flooring. cabinets. appliances. paint. bathroom remodeling.currently I do not have a lot of cash flow because I purchased a Bmw. and the note is eating into my operation budget.I should have waited (that is the deferred Gratification piece)also the occasional hiccup has caused grief like a tree that had grown around my outside water meter. and had to be removed only to have a hot water heater fail the next month. followed by property taxesso it has been five months since I have done anything in the apartment.I can probably manage to put 1000 per month consistently toward this project.It will take sacrifice and not too much personal pleasure indulgences.This would have been the first month I was going to start the doorsbut I started teaching bass guitar so bought a bass then another then another in a five day period. 

I think this could be a house hack that we repeat a couple of times using the FHA loan system and then branch out into other RE investments.The issue though (there is always one) is that our house is worth about $205k and we owe $170k... the fees to sell will eat away a chunk of that if we even get asking price.

This contingency will eat up some of your total rehab allowance.  

The numbers worked so I did it....now 7 months later...still not on the market I echo what I have read hundreds of times on here about your first flip, something always happens and eats up money.

You can certainly find deals in Bridgeport, but it's worthwhile to note that the taxes are high (42+ mill rate) and could eat into a chunk of your cashflow.