I've done a lot of deals as principle and have had to find all sorts of ways to get a deal done given I'm a solo investor and not a syndicator simply passing a hat around for money to get a deal done

If you do not count principle pay down in the cash flow then the cash flow is typically low on day 1.  

I make another 30K off principle pay down and 200K a year appreciation for now.

If the LA is also the principle/seller... why would you NOT want someone in your corner?

Also you will need money for reserves as well.......Cash Reserve Requirements; 6 months PITI is required on subject property.If you have 1-4 financed properties than it is now 2% of all unpaid principle balances.If you have 5-6 financed properties than it is now 4% of all unpaid principle balances.If you have 7-10 financed properties than it is now 6% of all unpaid principle balances.Money must be in account for 60 days or sourced.

If it hasn't appreciated, you haven't made much money, other than your principle payments.

I figure after 7 years I will have made 2.5x my initial leveraged investment from both positive cash flow and principle paydown.

& Exiting with CASHA Desire To Pay-Back All My Enemies by Being Succesful - the few that I have, including those who disguise themselves as friends, but are foesFinally, what got me started was all the jazz I heard and listened-to (from the Real Estate Gurus) about How Lucrative Real Estate is and What A Major Difference it can make in your life once you understand the principles, concepts, and strategis to Successful Real Estate Investing!

. $400 a month ($100 for the area, and $300 for the gated community).Now I was going to rent for $2600 to cover the mortgage (which is about $2500...the principle is about $250 the rest is interest)), and cover the HOA's and property tax myself...the thing is my husband earns over $150k so we don't get the tax benefits as far as I know.We do have extra money aside ..about $80-90k in the UK...was hoping to use that to help upgrade to a new home someday...don't mind spending some of it to keep the current...but just scared of throwing our money away in the meantime even if the house does go back up again in few years...and make no money at all but a loss...most of all our savings gone..house now has capital gains if we leave it too long (even if we can recoup some of that loss as passive loss when we sell...seems like injecting so much money each month over x amount of years won't really pay back), and the company not paying closing costs then etc...Is it worth it, should we just sell?...

Mr_Investor -- Since you brought up Hitler, here is a quote by Hitler made before WWII: "The National Government will .... preserve and defend those basic principles on which our nation has been built.