I would also stop by the town in advance to see if you can pay a fine to avoid going if this is just a petty thing.

Insurance would cover it, I would pay the deductible, and no assets would be lost.If you are in an area like San Diego where people are more likely to sue, a judge is more likely to find you guilty, and the payout is expected to be higher, you may consider an umbrella insurance policy.

South Carolina, specifically Greenville, is often pretty attractive to us just over the line in North Carolina, but keep in mind that as an investor you'll pay MUCH higher property taxes there. 

You get grandfathered into the codes that were in place at the time, you get the old setbacks, you don't pay an architect, engineer, city and permit fees, plan check costs, school fees and other costs that will not come with an existing house.Not saying that you can't build new for less than a remodel, but not usually when you add in all the costs above. 

Be prepared to answer a lot of tough questions about the risks and the process in general.On the plus side, having to pay cash and be at the auction in person usually roots out the "know nothing" buyers that drive prices up.

As an investor and a customer, I don't mind paying a monthly retainer fee, as long as the quality of the service and the communication is good, especially during tax filing times.

This could mean asking double the value a developer might pay for a run-down cottage on a large lot.

You'll pay tax only on what you pull out of the 1031 exchange. 

The outcome was that I was able to pay my son a good chunk of cash for his hard work and I was able to keep a buy and hold property that cash flows nicely with only $5,000 out of my pocket once it was all said and done.

You could potentially sell the property and pay practically nothing in taxes!