One option to control your insurance expenses are to insure for ACV (covers yours and lender's skin in the game). 

Check with the Tax Assessors office or the town clerk and find out if they have it as on property or two.  

I currently saving for my third house, but I am unsure  if I should buy a third property in Winston Salem or branch out to surrounding towns like Charlotte, High Point, or Greensboro. 

We invested in what we’d define as an old mill old railroad type town of which there are countless in our part of the country.

)                           -   Gross Monthly Operating Income              32,642.00 Monthly Operating Expenses Monthly Property Management Fees                   832.00 Repairs and Maintenance                1,000.00 Real Estate Taxes                5,241.00 Rental Property Insurance                1,959.00 Homeowners/Property Association Fees   Replacement Reserve                2,000.00 Utilities                1,291.00  - Water and Sewer    - Gas and Electricity    - Garbage    - Cable, Phone, Internet   Pest Control                   155.00 Accounting and Legal                   150.00 Advertising   Monthly Operating Expenses              12,628.00 Net Operating Income (NOI)   Total Annual Operating Income            391,704.00 Total Annual Operating Expense            151,536.00 Annual Net Operating Income            240,168.00 Capitalization Rate and Valuation   Desired Capitalization Rate 10.00% Property Valuation (Offer Price)         2,401,680.00 Actual Purchase Price         3,100,000.00 Actual Capitalization Rate 7.75% Loan Information   Down Payment            620,000.00 Loan Amount         2,320,000.00 Acquisition Costs and Loan Fees              60,000.00 Length of Mortgage (years)                          30 Annual Interest Rate 4.970% Initial Investment            680,000.00 Monthly Mortgage Payment (PI)              12,411.76 Annual Interest            114,527.10 Annual Principal              34,414.02 Total Annual Debt Service            148,941.12 Cash Flow and ROI   Total Monthly Cash Flow (before taxes)                7,602.24 Total Annual Cash Flow (before taxes)              91,226.88 Cash on Cash Return (ROI) 13.42% The property is being given to me after completing 40 year certification (updated plumbing, electrical, parking, most units are decently remodeled.

Before North Florida, we were going to invest in our old college town and we just looked up realtors and found one we liked.

I tell alot of folks not to bank on market appreciation because you have no control or crystal ball. 

As you buy more you don’t want to own anything but you will want control everything.

Thinking to do the trust as an exit strategy, feed the proceeds thru a trust, annuity or some type of funds I can control, donate the remainder 10% to charity.

My first guess is that the alternative is "estimated" in cases where the meter couldn't be read for some reason.I live out of town but just had a friend go in and confirm that the water is off inside and there's no sign of a leak.