Showing the lender what kind of shape the home is in would be a big momentum shift in your favor.

The location is good and in my opinion improving, so I think that if financed favorably I would be betting on long term appreciation.

Say the rental properties are all under my name personally, (no LLC set up).If something happens and the tenant sues, and the court rules in the tenant's favor, will my husband be liable in any way?

Thanks in advance for your help - this is an extremely frustrating situation and a huge reminder that doing favors for people in real estate is very often not the smart way to go.Cheers,Kathlyn

Those that leave things blank get told "I have a vivid imagination and I fill in the blanks with my imagination and it won't be in your favor".

After you get a judgement in your favor, if the tenant doesn't leave you will have to do a "set out".

I'd say the biggest issue new investors have in trying to write contracts is that fail to really understand the risks involved and tend to devise contracts that are too favorable to them.

Do yourself a favor and keep asking questions and learning as much as you can.Much success in your endeavors!

As for financing it I could probably borrow the cost from my parents to purchase and fix it up if I were to flip it, and could probably get a favorable interest rate, or offer them some of the profits, not sure the best way to structure that.

Do yourself a favor and at the very least reach out to them and see if they are a fit for you.