I am actually closing on a house hack in Lakeview in about two weeks so I totally understand where you're coming from.

Remember that most things start to give you signs they are failing month or years before they actually "let go" so if you are often repairing a large expense item be wary and contribute more to your buffer.

Its a short book, finished in 3 hours, but has also changed my thinking and actually has me wanting to become the bank

How much of those JVs are actually worthwhile from a business standpoint versus the veteran taking on a JV to "give back"? 

Follow up: So I paid the $700 appraisal fee, and it took about an additional month overall, but the actual appraisal came it at $370k.

Home Rental Services was actually a property manager for me when I was a tenant and they were for the most part very professional with a lease that was very tight and protective of their landlords.

I actually do like the lease option method better but I think it would be beneficial to know how both work.

The current seller would have grounds for damages but will he actually sue?

I don't know many people that actually save money in different little buckets like that every month but you should at least be aware of what's looming and have a plan in place to deal with it. 

I have also gone through various posts and online but I havent been finding the actual numbers gameIs there a specific value calculator like Bob talked about?