Or homes up for auction that no access to the inside was available where maybe someone snuck in a window to get a feel for the condition of the property.

The attorneys are known to the assessors and there is a lot of horse trading that the typical Joe Public doesn't get access to.I have done work on my building and have a 5 year tax abatement in a portion of the taxes.

I really like the alerts feature that can quickly guide you to current topics that may be of interest: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsThere are a few self-contained guides that you can access here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides

With the heloc route I was able to access more of my equity vs refinancing.

This is a great forum with very knowledgeable members that will help to guide you in the right directionThere are a few self-contained guides that you can access here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guidesI really like the alerts feature that can quickly guide you to current topics that might interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts

The biggest lesson learned was I needed to get access to the lending institution's pay off amount.

@Kuriakos Mellos - in my area, washer and dryer access is worth about $50/mo and costs me $300-1200 to put in depending if I’m in town and can buy used on Facebook or I need to buy new on Costco com, HD, Lowe’s or Best Buy.

For example, if you are looking to connect with other members near you, want to learn from people in a specific area you’d like to invest in, or have a desire to find people interested in certain topics, you could start your search here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersThere are a few self-contained guides that you can access here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides

If you have limited access to repair capital, or renovation experience, or do not want a major renovation then it might be best to stay away from older properties that need large renovations.

I would like to have access to the MLS rather than relying on a broker to help me with deals.