Thought I'd get on BP and do something productive.

There is a title product that most title companies offer called an "Ownership and Encumberance" (O&E) report that just lists the current vested owner/s and all liens on the property (including taxes).

Certainly nothing very productive.

It seems the main difference, Steve, between the MLS and the health club analogy, is that the MLS's product (information) is being artificially controlled.

If your goal is to reposition product skillfully an inflated (lower) cap rate is actually BETTER for you.

And think of the listings they would pick up as a by product from their marketing.

That sounds really productive.

If your main focus is going to be rehabbing I'd try to get out to this one since this one will be at a recently finished rehab he did in Reading so you can see a finished product and I believe he is going to give a pretty detailed overview of the project.Besides these meetings there are a bunch more near Boston and on both the North and South shores.

I'd always do a tear off personally the extra expense is well worth it for a longer lasting product.

And instructions don't give any wait time between wash and stain, while some of their other products say wait 48 hours.