We have also been growing a lot and when you are in growth mode those marketing expenses go up quite a bit until you get to sustainment times (I seem to keep wanting to grow for some reason).  

. :)  average person could not get a investor loan to save their life.. banks went into lock jaw mode and that's one of the reasons the market CRASHED... even if rates go up that will create a slow down no doubt.. but not a crash.. its lack of financing altogether that created the crash.. along with all the crappy loans that were written. pre 07  

I think there may be more than one reason why contractor doesn't show up , looks like you only know one of them , What about - the contractor who's business model is to collect as many downpayments as possible and tell a story everyday for the next three months , what about the contractor who knocks on the door and says , let me fix your drive way , I am here for a job , take 10k , demo 2X2 area and then never show up , what about the contractor who says to a 70 yr old that the contract only is for buying the tile and laying it out , but the caulking and finishing will take additional 3k You are convinced of a lot of things about customers- they don't have money , they don't know how to vet , they don't know what to buy , they don't know anything abt construction .Your description of investor pricing is not what I was referring to .

You just tend to have a different perspective than others who have not been attacked and have an idea in their head of what will happen in such a situation versus reality.There is no legal or self defense advice given and some modes of defense can be deemed as (excessive force) based on the situation at hand.      

I see you were on beast mode in 2014 and planning to go super saiyan gorilla mode in 20115.  

We are in a suspended animation mode with real estate.

Now they still try to outpace inflation and have some extra growth hitting maybe annual 6 to 8% returns before tax depreciation benefits but are not in hyper growth mode anymore.

And Clayton mentioned me as well as I have been from the very first post pretty straight forward that the model as sold by Morris even if all the rehab funds had not been diverted and you had ponzi like rental payments being made , that the model is and was flawed from day one and would never have worked as he described.. 

You should feel like you’re in combat mode daily whether that be negotiating deals or managing contractors.

If the numbers work based on your model I would suggest it's a great area to invest.