I'm interested in buying cheap houses(up to $100,000), doing some repairs, and holding for the long run.

I have some balconies that were repaired badly by a contractor some years back.

I know there are many repair books out there but most of them are pretty poor.

The borrower must front the cost of repairs and then be reimbursed from the rehab escrow account at each of the five draws allowed.I think, with the current mess, they'll bring back the 203(k) loan for investors, but with more oversight features to (attempt to) avoid the fraud associated with investor loans.By the way, the news is that 50 new FBI agents have been added to a task force in Southern CA alone to address mortgage fraud.

Now if we repaired it, instead of buying a new and then fridge went out again, then maybe.

If your going to hold them as rentals they cash flow much better, however there usually are more maintenance and repair cost associated with them.

ARV means "after repaired value".

Everybody has different ideas as to saving money for future repairs, spending money ON repairs, when are they to be done, which repairs are to be paid by the "association" and which are the responsibility of ALL THREE owners?

I don't buy things that need a complete rehab and almost never buy anything that needs "major" repairs.

Assuming that maintenance and repairs will cost 20% of gross rents (I believe this number to be way north of what it will actually cost) we arrive at $1,015 for maintenance and repairs.I will also have an extra $2,000 in a revolving CD ladder as a slush fund to fix whatever Murphy's Law throws at me.So:Gross rents: $5,076Taxes: $701Insurance: $766Debt service: $2520Maintenance and repairs: $1,015Cash Flow: $74I realize this will be basically a wash as far as cash flow for the first year, but I think I have all my bases covered as far as projecting what expenses will be.