After Dad died, Mom ended up losing it to the bank.Looking back after that happened, I began to consider real estate as a vehicle to financial independence.

I'm currently focused on 2-4 unit, buy & hold rentals in the Dayton, OH area, with the ultimate goal of building an income generating portfolio that allows me to say goodbye to my career in financial planning & analysis.BP is an incredible resource, and I look forward to connecting with other like-minded individuals! 

Let's help each other grow and become financially free!

They all had inspections performed (as I think is a requirement here in Texas) The problem with a home inspection is it will not address some major cost items that could be financially stressing for a first time buyer.

I don't think an expense ratio of 30-35% is a bad starting point before securing real financials.

Discovered bigger pockets a couple of months ago and fell in love with the idea of owning real estate and hopefully one day becoming financially free.

I agree with @Wayne Brooks - sellers want to see financial strength and that you are a serious buyer.

The value that your wife is bringing to the table is actually easier to convert into a percentage of ownership in the deal because you should have a pro-forma and financial projections for the deal and the commissions that she will not charge actually have a dollar amount that is easily calculated based on the numbers you are projecting.Our business model is based on syndications for large multifamily properties where we bring equity from our investors as limited partners and we participate on the general partnership side of the deal alongside our operating partners (which in your case would be the builder).

If it needed gutting out anyway, or it had just been rehabbed, the potential for financial loss would vary significantly. 

I was fortunate enough to start investing at a young age because of my parents, but I was more or less grandfathered in with a financial advisor for the last 8-10 years.