Real estate is a very useful tool when used right to grow wealth.

Utilities will likely run a little higher than you expect because the property is essentially an active work site for at least 8-10 hours a day, for 4-8 weeks straight or more. 

Congrats on the success im adding that to my tool box thats a good idea

Mary, do your best to use the wholesale calculator provided by Bigger Pockets section  (found in the tools section).

@Darrin Carey is a great tool to talk to locally and get plugged in at the upcoming meeting.I have a couple properties in Dayton that I might need your services on.  

This goes with your exit strategy, if you have a collection of Ds then all they will ever be are a financial tool.

Would there be a benefit to getting a real estate licence just to have as a tool when looking at properties.  

From my understanding is you essentially live the property that you purchased and rent it out to tenants at the same time.  

It is rare that you get 2% or more, areas like New York City,and parts of California, Texas, Florida, and some other areas you can find them, but not everywhereThe 50% rule is meant to act as a quick analysis tool, to insure the deal is actually deal.

We feel that they are trying to woo us by throwing this high offer at us (even knowing they were the only offer), and then planning on playing us when the appraisal came back probably a bit lower then our asking, their bank not lending them what they "want", and then expecting us to accept a lower number (essentially our asking price) from them because we will have been weeks into the process at that point and not want to go back on the market?