I can't afford the places were everything is good and the seller wants retail. :)

If the comps look ok, but the neighborhood is not so hot, it can tell you a bit about how fast your cash buyer/flipper can sell the property at retail.

Very low retail vacancy and most of the good office buildings are well leased, albiet a slightly higher vacancy when including the Class B and C buildings.

In the low to mid price markets, we have not seen much reason to put SS in unless you believe the property may become a lease option of some kind down the road or a retailable house at a higher price point.

With regards to the expenses, I think they are high due to the extra land causing the taxes to be inflated (as well as an old retail building on site that would need a teardown).

The house is not in bad condition, but I added up $25,000 worth of updates and such to get it up to a modern looking retail sale.

Retail and also large apartment buildings.The problem I see with some foreign investors is they have small amount to invest.

Often times if the deal doesn't make sense to an investor then the property might just be a better deal to sell retail (through a realtor).

For retail you could use traditional methods, for investors or cash buyers you could market with Craigslist, eBay, YouTube, REIA meetings, calling investors who've bought in the area in the last few months, calling a self directed IRA custodian to see if they have buyers...Etc.

However, sounds like you are buying retail and renting.