That increases your cash flow.

If you are sure of your numbers then you need to increase your efforts on marketing the property.

I think the rents could easily be increased 10-15%.

Eliminating debt is the surest way to increasing your monthly cashflow (with the exception of acquiring certain cashflowing assets).

I think 3 – 5% a year increase is not unreasonable.ROI with 3% apprec = 8%ROI with 5% apprec = 18% We think we should hang on to this duplex, rent out both sides since this kind of return is better than anything else that we can expect with rather low risk.What is your take?

Over the past 5 years I have seen industry & population growth in Columbus explode, and effectively it has raised our housing prices.I started investing in Columbus OH about 3 years ago, with an FHA loan.

So your $6k out of pocket gets you a C Corp and ability to use retirement funds to buy stock in your C Corp.The things I did not consider:- You are an employee of your C Corp, so if you hire any employees you need to extend many of the same benefits to them that you receive, including participation in retirement plan- If you hire employees you need to offer them the option to also use their existing retirement funds to purchase equity in your business- Possible advantage of LLC over the C Corp- Once you sign and speak with your assigned independent counsel they will advise you on the increased scrutiny you face with IRS, need to keep additional records and document corporate meetings, etc.If I had a more complete understanding in advance I may not have gone this route.

I do know of some people who will collude with a tenant to increase rent (e.g. once you find out they are on section 8, you agree with the tenant you will charge her $900/month, instead of the advertised $800/month.)

Tuition keeps rising to pay for random programs and events that less than 10% of the population takes advantage of and each year the institution wants to do more.

As a simplified example, if you buy a prpoerty with 20% down, break even on rent and payments, and price increases 20% in a year and you sell (net of sales fees, of course), you have just doubled your money in a year.