And you’re right, that there are plenty of tricks out there that will  try to make it look like there is more skin in the game than there is.

Here is a trick. 

We are a one trick pony with only one dude needed to execute the strategy...while the rest of the government and citizens sit around and wait for the outcome. 

Sorry to lose you from our City.The trick is that you have only one unit. 

The "perfect market" myth is just a way we trick ourselves into not pulling the trigger and taking action out of fear. 

I know CA is serious but expecting EL Nino this year so that usually does the trick.

Additions are of great flips here, adding a 700-1000 sf here is very common, and 2/1 to 4/4 might just do the trick.

There are a ton of tricks to doing this....part is knowing your market well....what things costs and what labor costs is a good start.  

... you want water to run off your structure and not sit and absorb into your floor joist... and please note others comments on making it safe and not opening up your liability... another trick on a deck that feels wobbly is to run a diagonal or 3 under the deck joist.  

Well, all real estate is local, you can generally do what is customary without much fuss, however, what may have been customary in some area is always subject to change, the trick is to stay current so that when change happens,  you're not stuck with the consequences of what is no longer accepted.