Bought for $157,100.38 *** ***  ARV $245,000.00 5 bed 3 bath – Phoenix AZThese are the numbers from the HUD statement Bought for $157,100.38 *** * ARV $245,000.00 Existing Loan Amt Payoff $118,145.37 * Subject To $118,145.37 **** Closing Costs From HUD Title $1,045.00 Escrow $1,400.00 County Taxes $538.38 Recording Fee $120.00 Cash to seller $10,000.00 Misc other charges $525.00 Total Amount Due $ $13,628.38 *** Arrears To Bring Account Due Total Number of Missed Payments: 11 Total Payment Amount $10,095.47 Unpaid Late Charges $146.84 Additional Amounts: Foreclosure Fee/Cost $354.19 Unpaid Advance Bal $1,101.75 Total Amount Due $ $11,698.25 *** FHA Loan Mod 2nd $11,582.44 *** My Out of Pocket $36,909.07 *** Total Cost Basis of Purchase $155,054.44 ARV (After Repair Value) $245,000.00 Repairs Post Purchase $ 5,000.00 +/- Unrealized Profit $84,945.56 *** Equity (ARV minus Subject To payoff) $126,854.63 *** I strongly recommend having 3 months reserves as follows: Monthly Mortgage $917.77 (Taxes included) Electric Monthly $362.21 Water & Sewer Monthly $102.80 HOA – None $0 Reserves3 months mortgage payments @ $917.77 per month = $2,753.313 months Electric payments @ $362.21 per month = $1,086.633 months Water payments @ $102.80 per month = $ 308.40                                                            Minmum Reserves Total $4,148.34Then I turned around and sold it on a Lease Option for $265,000 getting $20,000 down on a nonrefundable Option fee, and rent of $1,900 a month. *** My Out of Pocket      $36,909.07 Option Fee To Me      $20,000.00 My Adjusted Out of Pocket        $16,909.07 ****** My Cash Flow  *  $ 982.00 monthly **So, I sold it for $20,000 more than street value, I get tax write offs, I got $20,000 back immediately as an Option fee, I cash flow at $982.00 a month and if they exercise their Option, I’ll get $146,854.63 (minus the $20,000 Option fee) equals $126,854.63 cash along with any pay down during their Option period.

Of course,with private lenders, you will need to give up equity or a return on the debt. 

Say your land was $50,000 and you had 30 cargo containers at $90,000: plus, an additional $20,000 of site prep. 

My own criteria is a minimum monthly cash flow after debt service of $300 on a typical B class SFH.

These deals will be more passive and you can still get the tax benefits of owning real estate, plus debt paydown and appreciation.

I've since pulled a second permit and will soon be appraising right around $2m with an additional $330k invested for total equity of approximately $1.2m.

In the interim, by maintaining a proper Contractor/Owner relationship with appropriate contract and being listed as additional insured under the contractor's policy, you are better protected.  

No other debts expect for monthly CC bills.Take home is roughly 350K$ .

Hands off ADU additions in southern Ca are often one of the worse RE investments most due to the cost to build being higher than the value added by the ADU addition.  

See if you can require the tenant(s) to have an additional liability insurance for having an animal in the home, maybe?