I keep going to maintain my lifestyle of being semi-retired.

Military spending may seem like a waste to some given that we spend 10 times as much as our nearest "competitor," but this needs to be balanced against the fact that we maintain a staff of very smart people to develop new weapons if the crap ever hits the fan.

In looking at the property, there were no cracks or anything of significant, and it looks like the owner maintained the property.

I copied the relevant section from Ohio law below For purposes of the immunity created by division (B)(1) of this section, reasonably necessary force to repel a trespasser from a building or other structure that is maintained as a permanent or temporary dwelling or to prevent a trespasser from making an unlawful entry into a building or other structure of that nature may include the taking of or attempting to take the trespasser’s life, or causing or attempting to cause physical harm or serious physical harm to the person of the trespasser, if the owner, lessee, or renter of real property or a member of the owner’s, lessee’s, or renter’s family who resides on the property has a reasonable good faith belief that the owner, lessee, or renter or a member of the owner’s, lessee’s, or renter’s family is in imminent danger of death or serious physical harm to person and that the only means to escape from the imminent danger is to use deadly force or other force that likely will cause physical harm or serious physical harm to the person of the trespasser, even if the owner, lessee, renter, or family member is mistaken as to the existence or imminence of the danger of death or serious physical harm to person.

I think maintaining the properties cash flow is vital and what a lot of people miss.

I've spent about 10 years of my life maintaining those properties and dealing with tenants myself.

Of course this is not the best option for the seller; the best option for the seller is to hire a broker that will market to and does maintain a buyers list.

Building codes are a big deal, since you have to comply with both the current building codes as well as maintaining the property's appearance to fit in with the fair theme.Been learning metal working and machining.

You'll also want to find a current lease say from a well maintained apartment as a sample for setting up your rental agreement.

In an efficient market, rents will be just a tad bit higher than that to compensate the landlord for the effort of doing business.If you own and occupy the home and get the mortgage interest deduction, your after-tax cost is still $70 and you have to put in the effort to manage / maintain the home.My point is that the mortgage interest deduction is not skewing the market in favor of home ownership but is instead leveling the playing field.