After living here for a month or so we noticed that another duplex down the street never had any cars there and after checking, we found out it's abandoned and trashed.

You can also check HUD’s website for guides and local housing authority resources.

Trying to receive all of the positive feedback and advice as possibleWell, start with checking out creative finance and see if it's for you.

Walk the block at different times, check flood maps and insurance, and get a thorough inspection.

A few other tools you might want to check out are AirDNA, Mashvisor, and AllTheRooms Analytics — all good for market insights and pricing.From my experience, combining these tools with local knowledge about your area usually gives the best results.

We've considered self managing and trying to find a reliable handyman who can handle much of the ad hoc stuff that comes up but we've even had a hard time finding anyone who checks that box too (and it wouldn't necessarily help with serving notices / showing the place when vacant / etc).

Thanks Jeff, i will check it out.

I know this post is a few years old now but wanted to check to see if there is still a local meet up group for Santa Cruz County.

If the seller has done this for you, talk to both.3) If the seller is attached to a Property Management company, check out not only the review score, but how many.

I really appreciate your tips on offering cash for keys and running a quick title check to derisk liens—these are things I’ll absolutely factor in moving forward.One thing I’m still unsure about is the best way to get started in evaluating auction properties.