The owner had put in a staircase on the outside of the detached garage, from the backyard and put up a little garden with seating etc, on top of the garage!

But the Northeast, especially Rhode Island, is definitely not where I would recommend investing, if appreciation matters to you at all.On the other hand, if Rhode Island where you are anyway then by all means try to make some money in your own backyard, where you can make use of the "local knowledge" advantage that out-of-area investors don't really have.

It has a fenced in back yard (chain link) though given the property size and the size of the house there isn't much yard to speak of.Property 2:  Looks as though no one lives there, though the grass is cut every so often (has gotten quite high last summer a few times). 

.#2) 3bed/2bath - 2,038 sqft built in 2006 - attached 2-car garage  - pool - finished bonus room over garage - screened-in back porch - fenced backyard - landscaped nicelyComps: (only two sold and 2 on the market for over 200 days)A) $182,875 - still activeB) $144,900 - still activeC) $154,600 - SoldD) $175,000 - Sold (next door)Home is well kept.  

We've been investing in real estate for a couple of years through a larger network and own some rental properties in a couple other markets, but are now looking to invest more in our "own backyard" so we can have more control over the process. 

Maybe you can try yard hack by building a tiny house in the back yard.  

It will have seasoning, you can check deposits for payments and due diligence can be fairly easy.The greater discount will give you the yield to hold, place the note with a servicer and learn from that.The note will be in your own back yard, you can drive by if you like to see how the property is kept.

Actually about 100 miles west of here.But seriously, does anyone really want strangers passing through their back yard?

Now I am going to sell it.I believe there are many people asked about the same question before, but I am still trying to debate whether I should fix up a few things.1. redo the lawn. the back yard is abandoned when the renters were living there. costs about $2500 including labor.2. sprinkler system is broken, a pipe under the concrete patio was leaking and cut a year ago.

Principal & Interest: 435.95Hazard Ins: 63.50Mortgage Ins: 27.67County Tax: 78.97Total: 606.09Next is what I am going to charge for rent:Total Payment: 609.09Repairs (5%): 30.46Vacancy (7%): 42.64Property Management (10%): 60.91.....maybeTrash: $25Monthly Rent: $770 (Tenant pays Water, Electric, Gas)Home is a 3 bedroom 1 bath with completely renovated with fenced in backyard.