"Risk-free" is an illusion in investing, flying, or life, so risk mitigation and risk awareness, as you said, are the key.I think the best at this in the investment world is Warren Buffett.

Unless you are actually saving or investing the difference between your current rents and market rates, you are living an illusion of financial security.  

It's an illusion of the mind.

All that does is give you the illusion you are:A - suddenly making money (if you are attempting to correct negative CF), or... 

I still want to improve my cash flow to the point where I can retire, but I'm now under no illusions that it will be a quick or easy process. 

I have no illusions about the difficulty of doing so. 

A lot of people quit after 1-2 mailings with illusions of amazingly high response rates.

It would allow you to add a much more desirable larger vanity, as well as make everything feel less closed in.Another solution would be to keep the tub where it is but move the plumbing so you could replace the dividing wall with glass block and give not only the illusion of a lot more space, but also allow natural light to flow and give a modern edge to the room for a fairly small investment. 

My sis has lived there for 8 years, and my BIL is a Baltimore city native, so they've been a great help as well.We are under no illusion that we are buying in McLean :) we accept Baltimore for what it is and prefer to focus on the good investment the right rental property there could be.We plan to immerse ourselves in every bit of research and information we can over the next 60 days....all day, everyday :) so we can be 100% ready when our first deal comes along.

Ill use their info but they wont be their exact form.