Dustin, Thanks for our freedom!!

Utilities (gas and power) are all separated, other than cold water.By the 2% rule, this looks like a reasonable investment.

The instructors are local brokers/investors and getting enough hours to sit for the real estate license exam is cheaper than one "Total Freedom!"

I'm talking about putting down mulch & maybe a couple flowers up; power washing the siding & patio.

You might get a special power of attorney from your friend to hire the contractor and close the transaction, then the owner won't need to show up, if that's a big deal.Looks to me like working with the contractor, a simple agreement keeps you in the deal, the loan secures your money.

The first step would be to assemble your "power" team(if you have not done so yet).

All the usual chemical treatments tried were useless.I have no idea what they put down there but it was the consistency of bunker C oil.The basement was finished in the area under the sink & tearing the old pipes out from below would have caused way too much damage/cost.Finally I cleaned it out with a small $99 power washer I got from Home Depot to do other things.

Since I bought the home "As-is" I don't have negotiating power here.

For all concerned.Acronyms*REI Abbreviations**AFD* - Agreement For Deed*AITD* - All Inclusive Trust Deed*APR* - Annual Percentage Rate*ARM* - Adjustable Rate Mortgage*ARV* - After-Repaired Value*ATR* - Ability to Repay - See CFPB*BOM* - Back On Market*BOR* - Board of Realtors*CAD* - County Appraisal District*Cap* - Capitalization*CCIM* - Certified Commercial Investment Member*CCR* - Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions*CFD* - Contract for Deed*CFPB* - Consumer Finance Protection Bureau - See ATR*CLTV* - Combined Loan To Value*CMA* - Comparative Market Analysis*COCR* - Cash on Cash Return*COF* - Cost of Funds*COO* - Certificate of Occupancy*CRB* - Certified Residential Broker*CRE* - Creative Real Estate*CRS* - Certified Residential Specialist*DBA* - Doing Business As*DCR* - Debt Coverage Ratio*DOS* - Due On Sale Clause*DOT* - Deed of Trust*DSCR* - Debt Service Coverage Ratio*FCRA* - Fair Credit Reporting Act*FED* - Created the CFPB*FFE* - Furniture, Fixture, and Equipment*FHA* - Federal Housing Administration*FHLMC* - Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Freddie Mac*FMR* - Fair Market Rent*FMV* - Fair Market Value*FNMA* - Federal National Mortage Association, Fannie Mae*FRBO* - For Rent by Owner*FSBO* - For Sale by Owner*GMAC* - General Motors Acceptance Corporation*GRM* - Gross Rent Multiplier*HELOC* - Home Equity Line of Credit*HML* - Hard Money Lender*HOA* - Homeowners Association*HUD* - Housing and Urban Development*HVAC* - Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning*IRA* - Individual Retirement Account*IRC* - Internal Revenue Code*IRR* - Internal Rate of Return*IRS* - Internal Revenue Service*L/O* - Lease Option*L/P* - Lease Purchase*L/S* - Landlord Seller*LIBOR* - London Interbank Offering Rate*LLC* - Limited Liability Company*LOC* - Line of Credit*LOI* - Letter of Intent*LP* - Limited Partnership*LPOA* - Limited Power of Attorney*LTV* - Loan to Value*MAI* - Member Appraisal Institute*MAO* - Maximum Allowable Offer*MIP* - Mortgage Insurance Premium*MLS* - Multiple Listing Service*MUD* - Municipal Utility District*NAR* - National Association of Realtors*NIV* - No Income Verification*NNN* - Triple Net Lease*NOD* - Notice of Default*NOI* - Net Operating Income*NOO* - Non-Owner Occupant*O/F* - Owner Finance*OO* - Owner Occupant*P&S* - Purchase and Sale*PITI* - Principal Interest Taxes Insurance*PMI* - Private Mortgage Insurance*POA* - Power of Attorney*PUD* - Planned Unit Development*REI* - Real Estate Investing / Real Estate Investor*REIA* - Real Estate Investors Association*REIT* - Real Estate Investment Trust*REO* - Real Estate Owned*RMLO* - Registered Mortg Loan Orginator*ROI* - Return On Investment*RTO* - Rent to Own*SFH* - Single Family House*SFR* - Single Family Residence*Sub2* - Buying property subject to existing financing*T/B* - Tenant Buyer*TAA* - Texas Apartment Association*TAR* - Texas Association of Realtors*TIL* - Truth In Lending*TREC* - Texas Real Estate Commission*UBIT* - Unrelated Business Income Tax*UCC* - Uniform Commercial Code*VA* - Department of Veterans Affairs / Veterans AdministrationFORUM ABBREVIATIONS*AFAIK* - As Far As I Know*AFK* - Away From Keyboard*AKA* - Also Known As*BBIAM* - Be Back In a Minute*BFN* - Bye For Now*BRB* - Be Right Back*BTW* - By The Way*CUL* - See You Later*FYI* - For Your Information*G2G* - Got to Go*IMHO* - In My Humble Opinion*IMO* - In My Opinion*LMAO* - Laughing My *** Off*LOL* - Laughing Out Loud*NT* - No Text*ROFL* - Rolling on the Floor Laughing*ROTFLMAO* - Rolling on the Floor Laughing My *** Off*TIA* - Thanks In Advance

So while it might seem that they are dumb, I don't really think that's the case because of their specific situation and staying power.