@Martin,ALWAYS get a licensed and insured contractor, and ALWAYS have your landscaper pull a permit!

Before that it was a lot of landscaping and construction. 

Would need to dig into what he spent 7200 on advertising Expenses Adv 7200 Bank Chg 0 Chemicals Laser 33397 Chemicals S Serve 0 Computer/Modem 1200 Credit Card Proc 3921 Contract Labor 24000 Equipment 0 Insurance 4909 Landscaping 0 Maintenance 7636 Payroll 0 Professional 0 Salt 1965 Subscriptions 0 Supplies 0 Prop Tax 13091 Utility 31608 Vending Supply 0   T Expense 128927

or do you want to be property manager / handy-person / janitor / grounds keeper or landscaper / tenant screener / eviction filer / etc.?

Houston saw an influx of new inhabitants after Katrina, and the impact of that influx was felt throughout the local real estate landscape.

You need to insure that rental properties have a minimum amount of landscaping to maintain.Never leave a tenant responsible for landscaping maintenance.

And while I just think a single family flip would be a bit much for me here (high labor costs here, and getting the exterior renewed could costly (siding, roof, windows, landscaping,driveway, fencing etc)...

The few who survived have enjoyed a huge increase in demand and a competitive landscape that has not caught up yet.To solve the problem outside of government intervention, private businesses need to spot the opportunities in the market.

@Moises Correa non conforming units are just part of the landscape here in Chicago, and with inventory being tight a lot of investors are finding more success with duplexes with a garden as opposed to a "legal" three unit.

But stuff like painting the exterior new siding and landscaping should come last in your long term strategy .if your getting 350$ a door you should reinvest capital back into the property so it doesn’t fall to pieces