The house has one shared gas bill with a steam-powered boiler providing heat through radiators in only floors 1 and 2, leaving the basement and attic floors with no heat.

Sl # Links 1 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/03/19/exit-strategies-defaulted-notes/ 2 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/08/07/prevent-2nd-mortgage-notes/ 3 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/08/01/p2p-lending-peer-to-peer-lending-and-investing/ 4 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/06/19/marketing-for-notes/ 5 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/05/21/dealing-with-unethical-clients-a-story-of-deceit-in-real-estate-note-buying/ 6 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/03/28/longest-note-purchase-imaginable/ 7 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/03/05/note-buying-due-diligence/ 8 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/01/09/starting-notes-real-estate/ 9 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/11/06/bidding-notes/ 10 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/09/11/collecting-arrears/ 12 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/03/12/buying-mortgage-notes/ 13 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/03/12/getting-in-contact-with-the-borrower-the-hardest-part-of-the-note-business/ 14 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/02/26/finding-buying-notes/ 15 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/02/19/five-advantages-of-note-investing/ 16 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/02/18/cash-flow-notes/ 18 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/12/19/what-is-a-mortgage-note/ 19 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/07/21/technique-to-ensure-good-note-investment/ 20 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/01/18/mortgage-notes-how-to-structure/ 21 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/01/25/mortgage-notes-a-hard-land-ing/ 22 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/02/03/even-note-investing-has-guru-traps/ 23 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/02/17/how-a-pizza-franchise-ad-led-to-a-real-estate-note-purchase/ 24 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/03/08/gas-station-mortgage-notes/ 25 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/03/23/how-bankruptcies-affect-your-note-investment/ 26 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/04/10/real-estate-investors-consider-secured-notes/ 27 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/05/10/essential-tips-investing-non-performing-notes/ 28 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/05/17/what-does-note-buyer-seeking-realestate-note/ 29 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/06/28/collecting-first-mortgage-note/ 30 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/07/21/technique-to-ensure-good-note-investment/ 31 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/01/13/property-values-and-mortgage-notes/ 32 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/10/14/real-estate-notes-investing-selling-buying-partials/ 33 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/09/24/mortgage-notes-advantages/ 34 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/06/08/5-pitfalls-note-investing-06811/ 35 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/05/25/get-note-pre-approval-before-the-deal/ 36 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/05/18/heart-smart-note-investing/ 37 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/05/11/is-your-seller-financed-note-in-respa-compliant/ 38 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/04/20/investing-in-notes-is-not-a-one-and-done-commitment/ 39 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/04/14/a-note-buyers-checklist/ 40 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/03/24/land-contracts-buying-partial-notes/ 41 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2011/02/09/differences-performing-and-non-performing-notes/ 42 https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2010/03/28/how-this-note-could-make-you-money-using-your-failures-for-success/Good Luck and Enjoy learning !

That is the million dollar question.I prefer door knocking, but time is money and gas is expensive!

The difficulty that I had was that during the environmental study, they found some gas tanks were removed and due to limited paperwork, requested that I conduct an environmental phase 1 & 2 study.

Yes gas is expensive, but aface sells  better than a card, every time.If you like a challenge, target some FBSOs, maybe you could find ones on the market for longer than 90 days.

Yes, the gas bill will go up during the winter months and are you calculating the water bill into your costs? 

They are gas, forced hot water systems...any idea how much one of these can cost to replace?

I am thinking this location is great for gas station, truck stop, travel center, hotel, etc.  

I have done 4 QSR franchise deals in the Houston market in the last 12 months and typically for a basic LL vanilla shell delivery (i.e. without upgraded electrical, hvac, gas, etc), the TI ranges between $20 - $30 psf for a 10 yr initial term.  

I am paying off properties now - once I achieved the monthly gross cash flow I wanted it makes sense to me to preserve it and take my foot off the gas on acquisition.One last thought - You mentioned not spending a lot of time on your portfolio until recently - I was guilty of the same and found that if I more effectively manage the properties I already own - I was better off than buying additional units.Just one persons opinion  - good luck!