It may not be anything for a simple duplex, but you could be causing yourself problems that a simply refurbishing and expanding the existing structure could avoid.

But my tenants not pulling their trash cans back before 5pm on Thursday is cause for alarm.

Don’t pay them until the job is done – One of the biggest perils you can face as a new real estate investor is that your contractor doesn’t cause dramatic delays by failing to show up for work when they say they will.

However the law states that I cannot cause STRESS when I assign the contract over to the investor.

The biggest concern the OP needs to address is exactly what they are addressing.

Thanks John, I want a property which can mostly pay for itself, but I am more concerned with long term appreciation.

For him, every day is a Saturday 'cause he gets to do what he enjoys.

Too much back scratching.With politics, it is a personal choice we have the freedom to exercise and it usually leads to argument with no constructive outcome.The main thing I've been concerned with is the 250k tax bracket plan.

You may find yourself in the middle of a commission dispute as a result of what referred to in the industry as "procuring cause."

Our yields in cities vary approx 2-4%, so I'm trying to come to terms with some cultural differences regarding home ownership.In a recent discussion on an Aussie property forum regarding forecast flat or falling property values, many local investors put the view that there is a natural floor on values caused by the rent/buy decisions of current tenants.