If I bought a property with 5% down and put 15% in the bank as cash reserves I will be much better able to weather any future market or cashflow fluctuations than the investor who puts 20% down and has minimal cash reserves.

Weather here has been nuts.

Partially due to lots of corporate events, the biggest being Salesforce/Dreamforce in Oct - in addition to good weather at this time of year.I have a friend who rented out a ROOM in a SHARED apartment in SOMA for $275/night during Dreamforce, so pricing during events is big.

Could be caused by cold weather, or the lock was defective to begin with?

I'm fairly certain Brandon has never suggested adhering to the 2% "rule of thumb" in isolation of all the other factors needing to be taken into account regarding a possible good deal (area, comps, rehab$, kerb appeal, tenant history/potential, funding costs, economic forecast)...Before I even heard of such a rule, my first one brought in $100/w gross for $50k purchase price, and I might still happily use that "rule of thumb"any day of the week.  

Personally the only reason I would want to see someone's DD214 is to see how their discharge is characterized, but I don't think it says anywhere weather or not that is something that he can ask for or that you are required to provide.

I'll report back after I place a bid and hear back weather it was accepted or not. 

Marshals, who eyed my long-bearded silhouette with weathered apprehension.  

I am not sure how the weather is in Toledo but to have a grass like that in California I have to use a ton of Mirracle-Gro.

Many of the tenants here like/need/want fixed expenses, whether they are retirees on fixed income, or a mom-n-pop business that doesn't have the ability to weather the big swings.