MSAs to see which markets offered the best chance for regular Joe investors to get great returns over the last year or so:We look at 0-4 unit residential properties (if you can buy a home in a given market for yourself, you can generally also purchase these types of properties) and measure them for two things:Gross Rents as a percentage of property values in early 2014Appreciation as a percentage of property values in early 2014Combining the two, you can see where investor dollars likely went the farthest (before expenses).

If the hoa isn't responsible for the condition of the roof then they shouldn't mind that you take proactive measures to prevent roof rot.

Aiming to live in a cheaper, but still too-hot market = "frying pan".

I don't believe the cost of electrical can be measured by the square foot of the house.

If the development you reference out by Quidi Vidi Lake is actually aimed at students it sounds like the "luxury student living" developments that have been taking place in a few other university cities.  

Now, they have a slightly different program, where an A/C tech measures the performance of the existing A/C before the swap, and the performance of the new A/C after the swap. 

Maybe run it by a local guy for good measure.  

I will make repairs with other income that I have coming in aiming to complete rehab in one year max. 

Given that temporary conditions or measures (e.g., drought, adding downspout extensions, etc.), may easily prevent the underlying cause of the mold formation to go into abeyance, or otherwise render the condition as one that is not readily identifiable/observable (by the purchaser or their inspector), has the investor, whether through lack of knowledge in understanding that mold is not, in and of itself, the problem, but rather evidence of another problem (and so did not correct the underlying cause) or simply from a lack of ethics, free from accountability if the property is sold "as is"?  

This will affect all the CRE sectors as well as single family rentals, but that's for another post.Another theme is that because of the extraordinary measures the Fed has taken (and as of yesterday is still afraid to undo) there is a lot of capital looking for yield, desperate for yield that they normally would be getting it from bonds and other debt instruments.