Because if they are losing jobs and money, they start looking at property owners to raise taxes (or code enforce) their way into the black.

That $700 is just going right down a black hole.

The Black Diamond meetings are great and worth getting out to the one in Waltham (2nd location in Worcester, today/Tuesday if you feel inspired to get to one ASAP).

Be aware of the "Greater Fool Theory" and be careful of real estate that is packaged this way - the seller is going to do well - I am sure - especially if you intend to pay cash for these properties.We run a little Investors School in Baltimore - teach  negotiating and investing making offers as well as tenant management -Baltimore is also known as Small-ta-more - word gets around quickly if someone is taken advantage -We have BLACK LIST on the bulletin board at our facilities - we put names on that list who have taken advantage of our members - title companies - lawyers - contractors and so called investors and wholesalers -Be careful with whom you do business with in the little big town of BaltimoreI can't publish this list here - but be glad to read it to you -If you need some Pro-Bono advice - let me knowThat neighborhood you mentioned - values vary from block to block - not sure if houses will appreciate much there -Wishing you good luck - stay in touch -Charles

He's got the Steve Jobs bio on his shelf, and even rocks the black turtleneck.He likes following the philosophies of companies like Apple with a raving-fan culture.

"Reasonable" is a matter of opinion.Assuming you have an inspection contingency, you can ask for basically whatever you want, with all parties knowing you can back out if you don't like what you see (or aren't allowed to see).Instead of asking him for a P&L (he might not even maintain a running P&L), you can ask him for a copy of his most recent Schedule E with black marker hiding all numbers but those for the subject property.

@Mike Hurney runs a couple of meetings on the North Shore, there is a good REIA in Chelmsford, @Ann Bellamy organizes the Black Diamond meeting in Waltham (2nd location in Worcester too) and @Justin Silverio does a quarterly meetup in Woburn (Though the one TONIGHT is on site at a finished rehab project in Reading).

Also check out the Black Diamond meeting in Worcester.  

I would just say that I just went to the expo and during the keynote that owner Del decided to drop the N word twice to prove that he can and also kept joking how his wife didn't like he dated black women.

It'd make doing some renovations a ton easier not having to run the hard black pipe.