How ARE they surviving with the business so soft and no sales lately?

If they speak softly, you should too.

(I think she knew, but she is the kind of person that if its not in her face, she will brush it off)Im not saying lie, but I am saying shhhhhhh, in the beginning.This is all being said with the assumption you have a plan, and couldnt help but be successful, once you start.

In a down, soft market.. a real estate investor needs to re-orient their thinking.

MVP Troy... reminds of the Aikman of my beloved Cowboys who got their a$$ kicked because of their soft QB now!!!!!!!!!

I would suggest brushing up on future and present value calculations as you start making offers, only because it will help you identify what your offer is in relation to what a cash offer would be.Couple rules of thumb I follow.#1.)

James I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth.I had very tough times where things were lean growing up.It builds character and makes you remember where you came from.Having said that you can't let emotions make business decisions for you.This woman has allowed her kids to invade her life and mooch off of her.She has ultimately made that decision.I can see where that high payment without assistance is strapping her.I can't tell you the number of kids who are draining their parents dry and using them.It makes me sick to think of these types taking advantage.I am not talking about a temporary blip where someone is down on there luck but a continous pattern of doing the minimal only and getting the rest from the parents.I have tons of tenants with my apartments and I hear it all.When you have apartments they all talk.If you are soft with one they will take advantage.If you are hard with all they will leave because they can't manipulate and the other ones will pay on time knowing they will be gone if they don't.

I would agree that you should be able to keep your soft costs around or below 30k unless you are using expensive hard money or something.

Do you make any other hard/soft assurances for getting some or all of their funds back to them early?

I predict both regulation and litigation over this in the future, and it makes me both angry and sad, because we ALL get painted with the same brush as the black-hat scammers.