In the past I have refinanced properties to tap equity as opposed to selling the property to purchase larger properties.  

We are kind of in a desperate situation and need a bigger place to live asap, (3 kids and baby on the way lol) but figured if we are going to become investors we should just buy as opposed to rent.

I am wondering why do you prefer to have a title company do the closing as opposed to letting your attorney take care of the whole thing.

My two cents: One thing to consider is that wholesaling and flipping are much closer to being jobs as opposed to a more passive investment like a buy and hold property.

@Dax GurrI'm assuming you considered this, but just in case, if the purpose of the property is to do buy and hold (as opposed to flipping), you could consider asking the current occupant if he would like to stay and pay rent.

Also, Milwaukee is economically very diverse, from well below poverty line to very wealthy (nearly all of the top end is either in BIG $$$ condos downtown in high rises and 3rd Ward or mansions along lake north of DT on the trendy for decades "east side")If you're yet another person wooed in by the seemingly amazingly low buy in prices and decent sounding rents, which seems to happen every 8 minutes or so on here now, I'd advise to proceed with caution, old stock that's beat to hell and city has been burned by too many slumlords, so even if they think its a 5% chance some out of state buyer could be slumlord in waiting, they'll drop a hammer on you and hard and as I've said 100x, they can write code violations exterior on 98% of the homes, but pick and choose when to do so.

@Mike Wallace @Keith Jourdan First, I hope there is a picture of the exterior on the listing.

It is quicker and cost less as opposed to use several.

Reverse the door swing into the exterior wall.

Hello Donna,For security on a property while rehabbing, I typically do the following -make sure all windows have blinds and shut them ( no holes, broken blinds,etc)- make sure all exterior doors have a turnknob and deadbolt and fit tight on the door and door frame-alarm wire around AC condenser and crawlspace door, and contacts at all entries.