If renting, my rule of thumb has always been improvements/updates must  enable me to receive more rent and/or rent it faster and/or get a better quality tenant. 

I guess my ultimate goal would be to be able to go down to part time at my current job as a nurse practitioner and supplement my income with passive cash flow from my assets so I can eventually spend more time with family and have more freedom.

If you are doing this alone, maybe part time to supplement your real estate business, and maybe with relatively low dollar deals, I’d suggest you use your own money on as few project as you can handle.

For practical purposes, any arm's length transaction ought to involve a title search/title insurance, which would enable the seller to execute a warranty deed.

3.How much did it cost you incorporate or LLC your business to enable you to do business throughout the US?

How to monetize primary residence to enable a move?

Adrian, If the work is permitted then I would say go for it, local jurisdictions have laws that enable a homeowner to do certain repairs but in this case you do not claim this your homestead which means all work is to be done by licensed contractors.

I'm Jason Williams, a relatively new cross boarder investor who is looking to meet like minded investors to bounce ideas off of and share solutions with.I presently work in the automotive industry but am investing in real estate to supplement my income and to have something to leave for my future children.I stumbled onto this site while searching for evaluation tools after becoming a co-owner of my first duplex in Florida but I haven't worked up the nerve to do an introduction.

Recently an interesting opportunity arose that could enable me to bid adieu to the desk job and enter the real estate field full time.The business mainly features gutting and rehabbing row homes for immediate resale in Baltimore, MD.

RE investing is supplemental for me.