My house is assessed at $274k and my taxes are $6,500.

The taxes seem sky high, like the assessed value is $285k, too, which seems odd for Ann Arbor (I'm 45 minutes away).

I agree, our finances have been our primary focus and we have made significant progress on that. 

All Tenants should be advised of the operational structure of the Association, that aportion of their rent is used to pay the monthly Association assessment on the unit and what that assessment is used for.

I would challenge you to study his approach and would explicitly recommend you adopt some of Dave Ramsey's techniques and mindset about getting out of debt.Best of luck - stay on BP as a contributor and gives us an occasional update on your progress.  

He has sold his primary residence, moved into one of his rentals, all for the purpose of taxes and hedging his bet against the market.Perhaps towards the end of summer, in a month or two, we will be in a better position to assess where the market is going. 

The progression for me will be to pay a rental off in the next 12-18 months, probably buy 1-2 more by end of next year, and then expand into a third and likely final market. 

We wanted to do the same basic thing in the augusta area with some waterfront property and are just starting to educate ourselves here on bigger pockets.Please keep us up to date on the progress.

you can sell real estate or wholesale ( although I think that's not quite legal in FLA and I KNOW its no in Oregon) and make money bringing two parties together.. but that is more like any other commission job.. you can sell cars and do the same thing.. its a progression that's for sure and you have to chose your niche.. 

This lowered the assessed value of all three parcels.