I've found the responses you've gotten to be most informative.I have 15 years of financial experience (credit & equity), but let me also preface that other than finishing up my MBA very shortly for which I'll have a real estate concentration, I have no direct RE experience besides owning my own home.When you're contemplating a transaction or generally evaluating your RE business, let me suggest that you identify a handful of the most relevant risk factors you're exposed to.

One thing to keep in mind is that you're going to need to educate yourself as well to be able to identify if a person is a "good" partner for yourself.

A quick and easy formula to use that will keep you safe in this price range would be to identify the real ARV (after repair value) which has nothing to do with county assessed records, but sold comps in the area that were like kind and in move in great condition.

Unfortunately, old house = money pit which does NOT usually equal cash flow.Re financing: As Mike mentioned, and as you can see, we were both easily able to identify this property from your description.

a month or 2 back there was a post about identifying an area by zip code, which was a map and color coded...can anyone find it or tell me about it again?

She refused to sign the landlord rules but would not identify what rules she had an issue with.

Failing to identify potential issues will fall on the lender to show prudence, not the borrower.Since the OP does not reside on the property sold, the SAFE Act may well apply.

Love the use of the travertine with versaille pattern by mike g. as well, great job

only you can figure that out for yourself.So, I'd say there are 5 ways:leveragetax advantages 'buying at the right price based on skilled, sound analysis'rehabbing/identifying 'best use'deal-making(wholesaling, bird dogging, note buying/selling)Some of these can be achieved passively:leverage + tax advantagesBut even those require the work up front to at least identify, analyze and purchase - and set up managementAnd of course: being your own PM, rehabbing project management(or hammer swinging), and all the deal-making options take constant investment of time.Deal-making is a non-starter for me, I can trade hours for dollars at a high rate in my regular business.Buying at the right price is not a skill I believe I have, I could learn it, and I read here a lot, but I am consistently surprised by how many things the experienced people on here point out that I would have missed or have never thought of.So that leaves me seeking leverage and tax advantages but frozen from buying due to my fear of becoming a 'learning example for ohters' by overpaying.So, like you, I suspect, I focus my efforts on my 'other business' and I keep my capital in the stock market.

This is just a pattern I've seen as I've been looking.