so just after about a week after purchasing #13 (Click Here), we closed on #14. this one was a little different.it's a house in great shape, all brick, 2 bath, huge basement and huge garage, but in an area with houses that are mostly vinyl with crawl spaces. we might have trouble getting people past the few streets that lead up to the house. but once they are there, it will be a great showing.the house was listed for around 100k a few months ago. then they reduced it a few times and finally it came down to 80. i made an offer with my agent (something i try not to do normally) at 70k, no inspection, closing in 45 days. she thought i was crazy and would never get it for 70k. they accepted, but the problem was that this house would have never gotten approved for financing since it needed shower work, terrible deck, caving in porch, and lower bath is missing most of the drywall.so, i could have either paid someone 2k to do it half a$$ and hope to get it financed, or get it with all cash. but i didn't have 70k cash.told the agent to go back to them and see how much they would reduce it if i paid cash for it. they said they will give it to me for 68k. so, i pulled the max loan out of my 401K, which is 50k, had 20k and combined it to get this house for 68k.the interest on the 401k loan is 3.25%, payable to ME for 5 yrs. so, they will be taking $904 out of my paycheck every 2 weeks.this house has around 8k-10 worth of work.

I'm trying to walk the line between doing work myself to save money on contractors and getting contractors involved for things that are out of my league so that I can reduce carrying costs.

As your portfolio grows, you can reduce that amount/property, but you will always have to keep reserves.

These can be an attractive starting point, given their reduced price point for entry.

Buy quality assets to reduce the headaches.You will find a lot of information in the following; Detailed Map of Cleveland Neighborhoods

It doesn't always work because some tenants break leases or I pick up new rentals.What I am doing right now is limiting all leases to six months at a reduced rate.

The main furnace gave up the ghost and had to be replaced A tenant turnover/rehab  that was trashed and cost over 1500 to be rentable My w2 work slowed drastically which reduced our hours My insurance company canceled me siting a leaning foundation on my apartment This was during Holidays that required gifts $  for everyone I had a deferred down payment that came due of several thousand dollars I had to pay It all worked out but thank God I got through that period . you must press on even if you see no light at the end of the tunnel 

Any distribution will reduce the Due to Personal.

With an electric bill, about $20 is just for having the service but your actual bill may be $5.ISSUE - if one tenant gets their lights cut off for non payment, one light will be out until the bill is paid.OR, run all the common lights to the first floor unit and reduce the rent by $10 a month. 

If not, what other strategies are available to reduce my active income?