Oil spills wipe right up or wash off with dish soap when sealer is applied but the stuff I use is 180 dollars for 5 gallons.

I've lost count of backsplashes that are primarily made up from Home Depot's Pacifica Beige tile (59c per tile), and then have a glass accent, maybe 3-4 rows (maybe 3" high) running round the kitchen at about 3" above the back of the counter backsplash.So one house may well get a full glass backsplash, the other gets a Pacifica Beige+accent line with the offcuts.Same with bathroom - tile the bathrooms (that's becoming standard for us now, including replacing shower fixture as a matter of course), use Pacifica Beige again, glass for an accent.HD may hide Pacifica Beige occasionally, so ask for it.

I will drive for dollars occasionally as well. 

Then you have the brokers who occasionally gets thrown a bone and actually have a real listing.

., wholesale) offers that make investment sense, but will still occasionally get accepted.  

Occasionally I buy oddly shaped items which won't fix in a secured box, such as a dolly I just ordered.

Occasional flaking off of some substance that looks like dried mildew when switching between heat and cool.

You also have an appreciating asset, equity, and a lower risk rental.I have clients find deals like this almost every month right on the MLS, Auctions, FSBO, and occasionally wholesale.

And yes, I got some of the same grief for this decision as has been dished out in this thread.

As an investor who has real estate license, you are only working for yourself (like me.. with an occasional client), things are more flexible.