I mean, we could all just chug money into our 401k's and let Fidelity or whoever control our retirement... most of us are willing to do the extra work of being a land lord or RE investor to boost our returns... by that same token, why wouldn't we be willing to be a bit more geographically mobile in our investments to further boost those same returns?

The bank is now motivated to unload the property.

If they caused a problem, they should fix it or pay if someone else has to do it.Sounds to me like you've bought a property in poor condition and the PM is nickel and diming you for a little extra every month.

If in-house, perhaps offer to pay extra to get it expedited (with the terms they're offering, paying an extra $100-200 for the appraisal is still reasonable).I don't think 45 days to close will kill your ability to find REO deals, but it may keep you from getting the "hot" deals that tend to get scooped up in one day.

I invest in real estate that has been on the market a long time or more is owed than the current value so I am dealing with sellers who are more motivated to sell so I only pay $10.00 option fee. in order to avoid a large option fee to a seller it important to take the right approach, have the right presentation and it has to benefit the seller enough for it to have value to them.

For rentals, that's all I look for is 4 bedrooms, if it's a 3 bdr I make sure it has a basement so I can add an extra bedroom and bath.

Here is a list of the 20 best ways to find motivated sellers - this should cover it :).

Hey guys,I'm trying to see how else i can find apartment owners who are motivated and WANT to sell.

Although, I'd reiterate that a half point is nothing to sneeze at, especially when that means extra dough in your pockets each month.

If you want to cashflow well with section 8 or something like that, then sure, bad areas can work if you're willing to put up with extra hassel for a higher % return, but, for rehab to sell, i personally would pass.