David and others mentioned it has little to do with predicting the future total potential returns historically.

If you are doing standard stamps that is a lot harder to predict when they will arrive but you can send more mail for the same cost.

However, the occasional backed toilet, or dead light bulb (etc.) is not as predictable.

., a lot of those points are subjective, and also hard to predict.

For that as a quick comfort level I like 3 months of rent saved, but I do a detailed calc looking at building a fund for predicted replacements of things like roof, furnace, any other item over $500.

A specialist advised me to wait a bit because everyone is predicting a price drop. 

Since this is a smaller property we have the finances to just buy it ourselves, and the end-buyer suggested us doing owner-finance until she can get her credit right; she predicts 3-6 months.Curious of people's thoughts on these terms as we've never done an owner-finance before:15% downpayment12% interestballon payment due in 8 monthsInitially wanted to do 20% down but we met in the middle at 15% as she doesn't have enough for 20.

I wouldn't try to predict the best neighborhood.

We cant predict the future but I would never think it is wise to lose $1000 per month unless you are %100 sure the appreciation will outweigh the loss.

A sound person is not always predictable but we are playing a game of odds.Frank