@Allison@Allison Escovedo What do you think your bank would do if you didn't pay your payments and ignored their calls for a couple of months?  

I would also speak to a couple of others to get a few different opinions and ideas before moving foreword in any particular direction.  

I just wonder how much buyers (the market and appraisers) care about everything being brand-spanking new and never used. 

We have a couple of guys that do it but trysting that they have done a full winterization correctly is another matter. 

On top of that, find me another side job that you can make $15K in 20 hours work in your spare time over a couple weeks.

My wife is from Japan and all her friends and family want to buy brand new mansions or SFHs because interest rates are very very low.

Don't get bogged down with branding activities.

Would like to have a couple rental properties (newer properties) that sill cash flow on a monthly basis while in an area with expected above average appreciation targets.

ChristopherThank you for the information, really helped me make a decision over the pass couple days!  

High leverage coupled with cyclical markets, low reserves, bad locations, under-capitalized properties, short-term debt, low cash flow, no value add, or some combination of these items is where owners get in trouble.