As for the rate of vacancies, its hugely dependant on the area and class of properties again, and whether or not you want to deal with government supported tenants (what you call section 8 in the US)- for me, in Japan, its a no-brainer, since they're nothing like yours in the US, but if that's where you plan to invest, you'd better give this some thought - these tenants will fill up your vacancies fast, but come with a whole unique set of issues.Totally with you on the leverage front, wouldn't touch a mortgage with a ten foot pole these days, seen too many smart individuals and savvy companies (and I'm not saying this with cynicism) get very badly burned with assumptions regarding appreciation, depreciation and amortization - to think the GFC is a once in a lifetime event and will never happen again is the biggest (and dumbest) gamble of all, in my perspective.The amount of time you'll spend on each property, again, is a direct factor of the class of properties and areas you invest in, and the quality of your chosen team, in particular your property manager.

A little bit about myself: I work in commercial real estate for the federal government, doing portfolio management (office properties).

Joshua I know you are just brainstorming but you will find it is rare for an idea to pop up that nobody has thought of before with real estate.The problem with grey areas or interpreting things the way you would like them to be to convince yourself you are in the right and making money is that later on the banks and the government step in.

If the home is sold as a result of the divorce then the credit will have to repaid under the regular recapture rule because the home has ceased to be the principal residence of either spouse.If a residence is forcibly or involuntarily converted and the taxpayer purchases a new principal residence within two years from the date of disposition, the taxpayer will continue to make the standard installment payments on the new residence as if it were the original principal residence.Special Repayment Exceptions for Members of the Armed ForcesMembers of the uniformed services, Foreign Service of the United States, and the intelligence community who dispose of their residence after December 31, 2008 due to Government orders for qualified official extended duty service will not have to repay the credit if disposition is in connection with the government orders.

Just the way you communicate with a borrower is governed by laws.Foreclosure is complicated and a long and costly process.Real estate finance is very complex.Reliable valuations cannot be derived from the Internet.Finance laws are very complex.

I'd follow-up Robbie's suggestion with "Why A Students Work for C Students and B Students Work for the Government" by Robert T.

I'd put a copy of the receipt the tenant receives at the ATM but the BP system won't let me.The "Customer Card" number provides deposit tracking to a unique tenant.We also implemented a 1 page (small font) Deposit Card Agreement the tenant signs that governs the use of the card.

And, it is very unlikely to encounter a great deal of government/political interference.

If the court awarded you the security deposit, then it is yours without any further documentation.Otherwise, if the court did not award you the security deposit, I would guess the standard state laws governing the security deposit applies.I highly recommend you seek the advice from a lawyer you hire in the area where the property is located to get trustworthy legal advice.

Dealing with government employees can be a very long, costly, and frustrating nightmare.