After closing costs (no cash down payment) and paying fall taxes, 2 payments to the seller, starting the insurance up, doing repairs/clean-up and some other normal type expenses I had just under $2449 of my capital "stuck" in that deal at years end.

Also, if they're on a M2M or nearing the end of a year lease period, consider having them sign a mold addendum so you can, hopefully, hold them accountable for clean-up costs.I feel your pain and wish you luck!

When you are setting things up, think about the time when you need to scrub or clean up your names in your database.

In these cases you need to  the tax sale process to clean up the title.Put yourself in the owner's shoes - if the property had equity, they'd probably have tried to sell it before falling several years behind on their taxes. 

Here's one of my off-line example sending over-sized postcards to entire zip codes using bulk mail.5,000 post cards mailed3 to 9 calls$1,100 in marketing cost1 deal completedI sent a total of 15,000 (5,000 x 3 mailings) post cards and each time I acquired 1 deal, (1 major rehab, 1 paint & clean-up, and 1 wholesale).

Do you set rules on kitchen use and cleanup and act as house manager or how is that handled?

I get it, they are trying to make sure these properties are safe for human occupancy but as you and I both know, there are way bigger fish to fry in Canton and properties in A LOT worse condition.Just baffles me that someone like me, comes into town, tries to help clean up some properties and I get hounded for things that are not a big deal in my opinion.

Clean-up ?

Clean-up ?

Bill Gulley I see your points, but im talking some really high fees, example deal i did a few months back 1525 E Poinsettia StLong Beach, CA 90805-maybe 5k in repairs just clean up, beatiful property..the couple was getting a divorce just wanted fast money...Got it under contract for 225k, i had a crazy bidding war, intially i put 15k on it.