My realtor has almost quit responding to me since he has so many more people willing to throw money at these properties that will never cash flow and are a pure appreciation play.

Sure it takes 20% down, but you can get the dirt cheap properties that no one else wants. 

Everything was super cheap.

After nearly 30 years of having attorneys telling me not to keep throwing good money after bad, and after being taken advantage of so many people owing me money, I started making a difference with my effort to stop the madness.

Refinance, new investment and sell primary: Refinance primary to get ~$50k out, find a separate cheap investment property that can cash flow (aim for under $250k purchase price so we can put 25% down), and then sell the primary at end of next year to get remaining equity out to use as a down payment for a new primary (assuming it will be about $80-$100k net with expected increase in value due to being in a hot neighborhood and purchase price of ~$500k, know it's less than 20% down)Considerations: I am expecting the next primary to be a place where we spend 4-5 years max (expecting significant increase in career based income after initial partnership buy in).

Then you can learn the entire system & process as opposed to needing to create it.Maybe throw out a couple of cities in your area so that they get picked up as keywords for other nearby investors/wholesalers.

there may be electrical issues that are cheap and some that are expensive. 

still a decently solid deal for a longer hold by the numbers especially if a good location.assume some soon to come obsolescence if the guy was retiring...people get tired. dont let it throw you.

If you have money to throw around, donate it to a worthy charity.......

BP,I just got my first property under contract today at 21 years old.It’s a turnkey property (could use minor updates that can add some value) that was cheap in my market because it’s not in a great neighborhood but the neighborhood seems to be trending upward because of local renovation rebates.