This exercise definitely showed me how important it is to get the cash flow numbers right.

I think it much depends on what are your short and long term perspectives.Let's see if I can put up a reasonable answer, and I also take it as an exercise for myself to clear up my ideas.If you invest for retirement and the goal is (as for much of us) having a passive income and maybe retire earlier, I think that the hardcore of our investments should be made in the same currency of the country we want to retire.

That fee is not refundable if they don't exercise their option to purchase the house.

I have never taken much interest in strategies that open up the possibility of this option being exercised.

I'm up early around 3 usually.I don't run 25-30 miles a week like I use to, but you also need to get exercise, that will help your sleep as well.    

If you think it isn't a good exercise then don't do it.

Are you aware that a lease is not a purchase, meaning that until you exercise the option you don't own the asset.  

If they fail to buy, I received significant option money and above market rents all the while off loading maintenance responsibilities to them.My fallback position is they do not exercise the option or they violate the terms of the option so I keep the option fee (typically $10,000 for the size of houses I've been working with). 

Then when it comes time for you to exercise the option, have a double closing with you, the present owner and the new tenant.

However if the tenant doesn't exercise this option the higher rent rate will still go into effect on a month-to-month tenancy.Your rent increase cannot be "unconscionable" (unreasonable) and you have the burden of proving that the rent increase is fair.And if you are interested in just how a judge is supposed to determine whether your rent increase was indeed fair:In Fromet Properties Inc. v.