Here are a couple of articles for your leisurely reading though:https://www.mlrpc.com/articles/new-tax-law-affects...https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-new-tax-law-...http://www.noradarealestate.com/blog/new-2018-tax-...

A similar four unit building sold for 498K a few months ago, but with a couple hundred less square feet and less land.

That's worked well over the last 10 years now I have 4 rentals like that and a couple more straight investments that I bought with equity in those houses or savings.

I'm in a position to buy, and plan to make a move in the next couple months.

The $20k figure includes the financing to buy it then to sell it again including capital gains taxes and fixing a couple small things that led to be fixed.

For the rest of your life, every time you try to uphold his memory, there's a small sarcastic voice in the back of your head that reminds you that he knew less than nothing about money.By pure dumb luck & juvenile arrogance, I made sure that would never happen, by encouraging my Dad to buy a couple of short sale properties during the crash 8 years ago. 

I have already read a couple books on real estate and know a little.

I want to open up a kitchen, gut two bathrooms, get rid of a 35” x 35” closets, and open up the basement (where I have a couple of walls, floating ceiling and carpeted flooring).Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.

I am looking for an area of town where we can expect appreciation, schools don't have to be good since it will be a unmarried couple moving there, and just overall a good investment a good first step in the state

Basements flood , an empty basement drys out in a couple hours .