Maximizing profit also maximizes work - there's no free lunch in life - so I play it by ear.

@Filip Reutov a rock star PM company will make your life easy.

Pick a dollar number that if you lose it all, you will say "Ouch"; but it does not impact your life. 

I the meantime, every one in my life is telling me that he shouldn't be getting rent.  

Rent is only $500 but helping a newly married couple get a good start on life. 

Agency agreements work fine when the agent is good, and are often necessary because some buyers just aren't up front people (although obviously read all the fine print and know what you're signing up for).Life is much easier with a good buyer's agent, and even as a longtime agent myself I would want one if I were looking for a home out of state or in an area with logistics I'm not accustomed to (irrigation, water rights, etc.).That being said, a lot of buyer agents are frankly not as good as they should be, in my opinion.

Talk about life, why they want to move, and anything but numbers.

I have had to move around a lot in my early life and I am turning 40 next year and will be settling down in 1 location. 

I have do have a related question as it relates to deductions that can be capitalized as part of the cost basis (depreciated for 27.5 years) vs amortized through the life of the loan (for example 30 years).1) Home inspection fee. 

What's also risky is relying on a W-2 for the rest of your life while losing money to rent every month haha.As an investor in California, I've seen that it's more of an equity play for the first few years, then the cash flow is projected in years 3-5+.