I would cut losses and start of fresh.When I first started I had over $1m in debt and was loosing money every month.It was a recipe for disaster.

For the fireplace loose the bookshelves and put a mantle in. 

It'll save TONS of money in the summertime - as it will reflect 95+% of the sun's energy without insulation (it looses its reflective nature when lots of debris builds up on it - so considering cleaning it at  the beginning of each summer. 

I knew my spread was very large so I was probably a bit more loose with capital spend than I should have been.Property #2 is still on-going so we'll see how we shake out but I think we'll stick pretty close to budget.

@Will H. maybe it is a different phrase, but here is a good thread to read on what I'm talking about ... https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/196...Basically, my understanding is that if you manage the rental yourself, you are "piercing the corporate veil" and may open yourself up to personal lawsuit whether or not it's in an LLC, for instance, your porch rail is loose and a tenant hurts himself when it gives way, both you, personally, and your LLC can be sued.  

But in very loose terms, I would say you should be making at least ten offers to get one under contract each month

ya, I have a feeling this particular attorney has more than a single screw loose ya know.

He is basically buying houses in the great park (and i know some others who do this as well, but not on his level), he has about 10 houses in all, and he basically sits on them, rents them out, loosing some money on the rents...hoping he will sell them in about 2-3 years making a nice profit for himself.

All the motors come from China and the brushes are cheap, so the motor looses power fast.

I have seem where some "investors" (I use that term loosely) are willing to take as little as 10% or less on the ROI.