But we tell our tenants they are for enjoyment use only, for ambience, and not to be used as a heat source.

Please enjoy your welcome train.......

I enjoy the way you lay out your expertise in an easy to understand manner and appreciate the fact that you put it out on such a public platform....Regarding your question on the knowledge that I gained from your posts that surprised my boss, the most memorable moment was during my interview.

I used to 'help' my dad a lot with repairs to our home and very much enjoyed that process.

I enjoyed some of the humor along the way. 

Enjoy it!

I actually enjoy taking care of the properties and interacting with the tenants.

I then read 3 books on REI and rehabs (don't enjoy reading but I forced my self to try). 

Either way, I believe it is all a gamble if the redevelopment plan comes to fruition or not.  

As my GC says: "if it's stood straight and true for the last 100 years, it'll probably make it at least another 25".Don't get me wrong; there are plenty of issues/problems/quirks that old houses have that new houses don't, and an old house can obviously have hidden problems and big repair/maintenance bills too--which is why thorough due diligence is fundamental to REI...but, the point is: a new house is not a foolproof solution to repairs/maintenance headaches (and in some cases, a brand new house can be a much bigger gamble than an older house).Good luck out there!