The first one is all about experience, the profit is a bonus!

What you are talking about is less an investment, and more a good savings account that may have hidden fees or bonuses, you just don't know which!

EG, for the last several years they have been W2-ing themselves to include an end-of-the-year bonus that makes the business have a net taxable income close to zero.

Fannie Mae's automated underwriting system is actually starting to waive the need for any appraisal on some loan casefiles, but not everyone is honoring this determination, and I know for a fact that not everyone even reads the AUS results where this nice little bonus would be.Appraisers are actually underpaid IMO.

It would be an added bonus if you're handy and can fix up.

For me, cash-flow is king but appreciation is certainly an added bonus.

Bonus points for you... 

Chances are they're both hungry and a licensed realtor, which I'd imagine would be a bonus unless you are yourself as well.2) Maybe try like a Tony Robbins forum or something.  

He actually calls each listing agent on "pending" deals and asks how many offers there were and writes it on there, along with two or five words about each new listing, and so on.He's old timey, so it looks like pieces of paper cut and taped, and then he writes his notes, it's then xeroxed, before finally being scanned and emailed, but he's positioned himself to be THE expert on that town - and it's true, doing this forces him to spends at least 5 seconds thinking (when it's listed), and at least 30 seconds on the phone (when it goes pending), for literally every single listing in the entire town.Here's the bonus aspect of that: Do you think there's a successful realtor in the town that doesn't know him, and maybe might not mind being on the other end of the deal with this friendly guy they chat with once a month anyways?

(They were never going to pay me)I've also asked seller to offer cash incentives/offer to pay moving costs to entice the tenant - and if they're unwilling, you can let them know you'll go through the usual channels and they'll end up having to move out eventually anyways if you decide to move in -at least this way their moving costs are covered and you're trying to find a win-win.I've also heard of other landlords that have offered to move a tenant into one of their other buildings, or help them find their next home.One added bonus (for me at least) is often the seller will then wish to extend the closing date (to get to vacant possession) allowing me more time to line up my trades people and solidify my reno plans and budget.Just food for thought - Each situation is different and it really depends on the tenant.