I'm jumping the gun a bit but are you worried you wont be able to find another house?

This is why the 50% rule is so deceiving. example, a single family house that rents for $500/month, 50% rule wont work, expenses will be way higher if you look at them as a percentage of rents. just something that in mind.

After starting this thread, reading everyones helpful advice, and suffering through a little more trial and error, I think I have finally solved (at least for now) the riddle of successful posting on Craigslist.Since tweaking my methods and figuring out what I was doing wrong, all of my marketing ads are posting and "sticking" with no problems.

., etc.In 2008 as you know the industry found itself up the creek without a paddle, and at the same time I started to suffer the effects of a chronic illness I didn't previously know I had.

One of the walls is blowing out, it needs a new roof, there is a portion in the back of the building that suffered some fire damage and that was never repaired, and there is some foundation work that needs dealt with.

I too, started in construction but suffered a back injury that led me to get into investing.

I have the money saved up for a downpayment on a buy-and-hold, but I wont be able to qualify for a traditional loan now due to my income stream. 

Austin suffers the same problem as Dallas.

From what I know, destin is a very hot rental market in the summer/spring break, so basically from may-august, you wont have a problem renting it out as a vacation rental.

Your work is not at arm's length, it's a sham transaction charging for a loss that is not suffered as the owner.