That new paint smell is a powerful incentive.

My first thought is that you would want to stay pretty liquid for unexpected medical needs.I've heard people loading up their HSA but not spending it.

It's as close to having psychic powers as anyone could hope for.

It means to be prepared for unexpected.

If you are a buy & hold investor the swings of the real estate market won't affect you to much unless you plan to sell the properties within the next few years.Trough you ain't making any money cashflow wise you will still be gaining equity of the properties every year and in 20-30 years you will on them and have a positiv cashflow with no credit to pay off.And if you are financing the property for 100% you ain't losing any purchasing power for better investments.So if you have enough money breakeven cashflow doesn't seem like a bad idea to me because in theory you won't pay anything but your tenants are buying you a property which you will own in 20-30 years.

Debt is a powerful tool but has ruined the lives of many.

Sharad, was the plumbing issue something that was overlooked during an initial inspection or was it known and only the 4-6 week wait the unexpected problem?

Flexible schedules and overtime are good, however it is not for everyone.Education is power get as much as possible.

I have also taken the time to set up an appointment with several lenders in my area so I will know what my potential buying power is on day one.

Probably want to power wash the deck first and then paint and seal.Sometimes you can just flip the boards over and they look like new underneath and re-install.