There's no substitute for boots on the ground.

Certainly no substitute for 'boots on the ground', but eliminating 85%-90% of areas before I start the van is my first goal.

I have a 10 year running total per month of foreclosures and substitute trustee (S-TR) filings for my county... so I can have a "big picture" view of expected near future (foreclosures) REO and a year from now (S-TR filing * 30%) REO.

Altough using a geological atlas is no substitute for taking samples, it's free, and having an idea of what the soil conditions is pretty helpful when diagnosing this sort of thing.

The BRE agrees with you, that a degree in chemistry is a ridiculous substitute for the two year salesperson experience requirement ... they now require a degree or minor in real estate ... 

Darts on a board might prove more accurate. there is no substitute for accurate comps.

As I'm sure you know, there's no substitute for experience.I also agree with Bryan that some basic courses in finance and accounting, even though they are not specifically about real estate, are necessary.

I could be wrong, but with all the R22 equipment that will be in existence for the next 30-50 years, I expect there to be a hybrid blend or some sort of substitute to take it's place until the phase out is 100% complete.

Seems too, that the seller agreed to seller financing with a down payment and now the attempt is to substitute the down payment with another form of security, as I'm betting we have limited cash to work, with if any.Seems like we are hunting that white elephant with a spear.If that is the case, I applaud Juan's creative thinking in his attempts but a dose of reality to see if this can be a doable deal.First you need to know why the seller has a cash requirement and what the amount is.

I asked if broker price opinions could be substituted for appraisals as so avoid spending $1200-$1400 in appraisals.