IN our market here in Portland  deposit is liquidated damages with no further damages  If you check that box.when we build for a pre sale.. if we do any changes or customizing the buyer has to pay us up front for those items and if they dont close they lose what they spent.. market has been such that very few sale fail.. and if we did no customizing we usually give the EM back since we usually sell it again shortly and many times for more money. 

Further, there's around 20 items on autopay, newspapers, cable, internet, phone, medical insurance, etc.

I will have this checklist itemized. 

Set the price at $400k with an exhaustive list of line item costs and selections or with allowances.

Your side is only mortgage interest deductible, the rental side you line item, and add up the deductible expenses.

Things that affect this; car payments, credit card payments (which is why you keep them low, so you can pay them off before applying for a home loan), store-financed anything, etc.All that being said, sometimes the best option is to save as much as you can now while you are building these other areas. 

There were a few things that I am going to change going forward however, one thing that I wanted to implement was hiring someone who can visit the site weekly and report back to me if there are any problems or items that should be addressed. 

Let's assume:nothing is brokennothing is amazingall major items are "fine" (it doesn't need a NEW roof, but no major leaks)no poolno car ports or garageno dog parkmixed units 1/1, 2/1 and 700-850 sq'water, gas are billed If you are about to answer this with a: "Well it all depends on the circumstance, no two properties are alike." please move on.

@Cody Richard a couple of items here:You stated "wife" in one post but "fiance" in another - so which one is she?  

Good Evening,Everyone's advice is spot on however one mention of an item I would look at if everything else is looking great on the offer is the inspection period to get the time to take this look.1) Ask if he has the P&L on hand along with other documents if you go under contract.2) If he has done his homework and collected everything to move expeditiously then I would have the deposit made within a 3 day timer after LOI negotiations (he may request it to accompany which is fine since you can request back).