I'm about to close in on my first purchase which will be intended for student housing at one of the local universities [that my son happens to be attending - and interested in living in a group house instead of an apartment ... so it seemed a good choice as a starter for me].Here's my quandary:  As a mom paying the rent, I liked when my older son's residence included a utilities stipend [wording?]

I've got a wonderful tenant in the other side, a safe, stable place to live, and in a wonderful surprise, prices in the neighborhood have risen dramatically in the six short months that I've lived in and owned my duplex.Here's my situation:I bought my duplex in November for $240,000.  

(Funny since our contractor thinks we are crazy with some of our design choices. 

Hey Anna, If you're looking for contractors, I know a few quality choices that are licensed/insured and can provide pictures of previous jobs they have done.

Atlas I think that would be the wise choice. 

As I already have a bank mortgage and currently lowered my credit score with poor choices and credit card debt from learning experiences or some call them mistakes lol. 

The newbies tend to under compensate for contingencies, under renovate or over renovate, make bad color choices, take too long, have contractor issues, want to do it all themselves, manage contractors poorly, and on and on.

Positing a 10K safe return vs a 10k riskier return is an easy choice.

Lowes give a choice of this or 5% off.

Paying rent is not a choice, and most states prohibit tenants from withholding.I also had a tenant that faked a robbery, claiming the rent money was stolen from the house.