We purchased a double lot which included this one and finally broke ground on construction.

It's easier said than done, as we've had some people come through that broke my heart and left me wondering if I'd end up reading about them in the paper for having killed themselves. 

If I would've rented it out prior to refinancing it basically would've broke even. 

The abolition of the crime map was just kind of the straw that broke the camels back, leading me to realize that i don't have many great tools for neighborhood eval.

I do it in my day job my specialty is the sub 75k loan.. that said you simply cant be in the loan business without making 4 to 5k a file. either in points or junk fee's you will go broke.. and all those adds of small points get the investors in the door when they get the final settlement statement and see all the junk fee's add up to 10 points or more. 

For years, I was broke while starting my coaching business from the ground up. 

The dollar is shrinking in value by the minute.Bonds have risk exposure both to the dollar and rising inflation.Seems to me real estate is the prettiest girl at the dance*.

The escalation clause reduces the builder's risk.In a sense, it reduces your risk of hiring a builder who will walk off the job, or go broke before completing your project.

I agree with @Nathan G. ...unless the property is in a (D) neighborhood where anyone you rent to is going to be in the exact same broke & no credit situation.

If they are broke then I think that they would be very interested in taking your offer, if they had a place to go.