Some of the ideas mentioned above in other states are simply not available or permitted in California. 

getting to even talk to a decision-maker can be difficult.You might wait until the seller gets more motivating with a pre-foreclosure letter and you might be able to make that go away by your offer that includes bringing them current at a highly discounted price. 

There is a wealth of knowledge just waiting to be discovered. 

Don't believe it includes sewer as the house used to be on septic tank and later added to the municipal sewer but I didn't notice any increase in the rates or mention of sewer on the bill, so I assume it's included in the property taxes.Why the big difference.

As I was pulling off to leave, the new tenant was there waiting for me to go.Finding great deals in this town is far harder than keeping tenants placed.

The red-tagged water heater is not mentioned at all (I’m out $1500 to fix that one!).

I think I will just have to wait out this year lease and see where I stand by that time.

Wait a minute are you saying that owning rentals is not a passive investment and you can just pitch it to management sit back on your barcolounger and collect mail box money ????

There are a ton of decent options in Dorchester (five Red Line MBTA stops) and while I've been in that one foreclosure that Charlie mentioned and it is a wreck, you can get plenty of places that still have positive cash flow.David

@Brie Schmidt Thank you for the mention!