Pre-qualificationIf you are too "Poor" to buy what you want in a neighborhood you are comfortable in, look at 1st time housing grants to increase your down payment amount so you can buy more house.The amount of the loan, and the amount of your down payment + grant will dictate a particular MAX purchase price for you.Be sure to allow for closing cost and loan costs in your calculations.Once you have that MAX dollar amount you can spend start looking at what you can afford in different neighborhoods.For instance in some cities you might find a Class D neighborhood 4 plex in good shape for the same price as a Class B neighborhood duplex.The Class D place might give you more cash flow than the Class B too, [BUT]Maybe your chance of getting robbed or shot or carjacked in the Class D neighborhood might be greater than the Class B neighborhood (so factor things like that in too).The question is still which should you buy--First whittle it down to specific properties the Bank will let you Afford--then make an apples to Oranges comparison as best you can.

Usually with low equity, too.

I feel like the landlord should have said no immediately, too.

Keep that in mind too, the kinds of workers in your area.

The SBA is a good fit for office or retail condos too.

One of the pics looks like there may be some water erosion from under the slab. 

@Drew Sygit - this is some fantastic information, well structured and too the point.

If you are looking for a "Magical clause" in Marco's contractthat will make stubborn sellers throw up there hands andsurrender and sign, you are going to be as disappointed asyou were when you learned about Santa, the Tooth Fairy,and girls being faithful.Trust me, I have both courses; you can find out everythingthat Marco knows and learn it from the guy that taught him,Ron LeGrand.  

Did not realize earlier that it was 10 on each of our names.Let me check more on the small banks too.

During a fire restoration, I & the contractor went to City Planning and I paid the permit fees:  Windows, drywall, electrical & plumbing and the fee was less than $500 - - in Calif too!