If you consider it you should require they pay 4 months in advance.This will cover them paying the first months rent,time to immediately evict them if they violate a provision in the lease,and cover paint and carpet again.If they violate the lease for any reason all the money paid upfront is NON-REFUNDABLE.Don't just stick a tenant in there to put one in.Make them meet extra security demands or wait on a better tenant to come along.You have to make a tenant like that have a bunch of "skin" in the game.They may or may not have reformed themselves and if they have they should not mind putting extra down.

I love sessions where attendees are able to ask questions, and the session moderator/s maintain tight, non-rambling control.

I know other family members who work a regular JOB.Their mindset is put money in savings in case of a medical illness or rainy day fund.Take 1 or 2 trips a year with vacation and that's all they aspire to be.They look at me and what I do and think "I am lucky" or "I have it good" that I have my own business.They think I sit at home in my office all day and do nothing.They do not realize I am putting in way more hours than they could imagine.I am sacrificing now so that down the road as I get older (36 now) I can take it more easy.Meanwhile many of these (savers) will be working as a greeter at Wal-mart at age 70 and complaining about social security not being enough.I am not going to be one of those statistics.A family member that is 68 has their house paid off,car paid off,and with social security still lives hand to mouth.I try to explain they need to grow that money to stay solvent but FEAR is what grips them from making a move.Whatever everyone believes we know we are born and in a certain amount of time we die.Where we go after that is up to each person to decide.So you do not have time to let FEAR keep you from making rational decisions and not living life.There is risk in everything.Successful people taker calculated risks and on average win more times than they lose.I guess I would be 4 and 5 since I have my own money but also buy property using owner financed deals.

Be sure that doesn't make the part losing space non-functional for its purpose.

Listed below is a summary of my financial and credit profile: Income/Savings:94K annual income (58K from primary employer + 36K combined from part-time work)20K in savings and have an additional 20K towards a downpaymentCredit scores: TransUnion 649, Experian 665, and Equifax 637 as of 12/10/11; credit simulator claims that my scores should jump ~20 points if I pay off my credit card balancesDebt:About 3K in credit card debt; all currentAbout 380K in student loan debt (majority from medical school); but all student loans are current and in deferment.

Okay did a wrap with a seller.Added as a additional beneficiary on the policy.Policy comes up in March.Insurance company was fine putting me as an additional insured but then the owner of the company calls the seller a few months after closing and said his employee never should have told her that.She doesn't have any written communication or a recorded call from the employee saying it was okay just the phone call before the closing happened.Now the owner of the insurance company says he wants to see the seller back on title before he will renew the policy.I mentioned I could add her as additional insured and she said the lender would be required to have her as primary.She is freaking out about the insurance issue and thinks the lender will call the loan.She wants a quit claim back to her and an agreement form her attorney that I manage it but still own it and I can buy her out at a later date.I told her I would not agree to this.We have completed substantial improvements to the property and have gotten out the bad element.What I have come up with I believe will shed light on her true intentions.I am thinking of creating a Joint Venture partnership or something similar where she is given 5% non-controlling interest in the property.This would add her back on title and then the insurance should not be an issue to renew.I am checking with an attorney on this now.Want to get thoughts on this issue.

If you are not taking in any rent you may consider this a second home and deduct mortgage interest and real estate taxes as if it was simply a second home.That would be why they cannot depreciate it.In some cases such as additional depreciation allowed on business(non-rental) assets you may take additional depreciation the first year.To summarize:They will not be able to depreciate it unless they are in a for profit activity.

I get great value from a peer accountability group in my non RE business.

You either need to buy significantly below FMV... buy in an area that expects very high appreciation... aggressively pay down principle... or be prepared to put 20% down on your next Owner Occupied home (i.e. non-FHA).

I am in the customer service business and I own my business (non RE) and my clients love me and I am never too busy.