You do not allow leases to begin or end outside the season because it is too risky and you cannot afford the risk.

@Keandre Livingston Most accountants are busy right now with tax season.

I need to update the outside, new paint, replace some wood rot, etc. as a first priority. 

See my last post about trying to lower two loans from 6.5% to 3.8% (refi) I would save about 100 per property (200)I asked the underlying question bc I was not sure to take 172k or less around 130k and 200 dollars is the difference .The numbers work, is it something a season investor would do (maybe not to cover the .200, but a move he’d consider for whatever reason )?

I think it would be really interesting to know how investors have structured their assets, from those just starting out to seasoned investors.Feel free to share as much or as little information as you’d like.

Or we might pay them off if our business has a good summer season.

So far (knock on wood) I've personally been spared. 

I have seen beautiful houses reduced to wrecks in only a few years with folks tearing out the inside wood to burn in the wood stove, cutting a hole in the bathroom wall so the horse could drink out of the bathtub, (in fairness he was drunk when he did it), piles of empty booze bottles almost as high as the junk cars. 

If you ask seasoned investors about their regrets, most will say they should have started sooner.In other words don't overthink it, take advanatage of the low rates, find a lender who can do 5% down conventional and buy the best duplex you can afford: try to get one that is large in size, is in good condition and at a good location.

My question is: what do you seasoned investors look for, in order of priority, before you decide "I like this one"?