Nice post flee.

She gets a nice chunk of change even after commission and tax despite her bad financial decisions, and I take on a property that needs repairs in a depreciating market.

You can't beat rage against the machine for throwing around weights.

Typerider,While I understand what you're saying; however, to compare to an inheritance is borderline insulting :) I'm taking a year of my live to sacrifice away from my nice home and cozy crap to work 12 hour days/7days a week, sleep on a little cot in a warzone because I can see the bigger picture.

It's in a good enough spot to support low rent (even "nice" homes here can't get the rent they deserve) though and still get pos cash flow.

The nice income stream from rentals allowed me to partially retire when in my 50s.

Of course it is nice to help people and do the right thing, however our only purpose is to make money.

I need to replace the walk, but I was thinking- instead of demo-ing the concrete and fake brick, of laying down 3 inches of 3/4 inch gravel for drainage and for a base, and then laying some nice pavers such as flafgstone or cobblestones.

The nice thing about Pittsburgh is that the prices are reasonable and we don't seem to be experiencing as much of a dip in the housing market as some other areas.

this is NICE!"