The issue is that the economy is not doing well and we are halfway into Japan's lost decade of cheap interest rates, debt, and no growth.

It is only a matter of time before China, Japan and our other international creditors decide to dump their ever weakening dollars.

The last time the Cubs made the series we Dropped the Bomb on Japan!!

Although it would be a worst case scenario, look at Japan over the past 20 years to get an idea of how bad it could get.Depends on your market, but I don't really think the odds of there being an uptick in any market are very good right now.

I'd borrow Japan's public transportation system.4.

Good luck, BrianRight now I'm in Japan teaching English.

I'm a photographer by trade - I've shot for ad agencies around the country, traveled from Japan to Jamaica for weddings and have billionaires among my portrait clients.

Simple calculation - average rental period for the area and "good tenant" profile (in our case, for instance, in Japan, its 4-5 years in the singles' units we like most), take 25% off that time for unexpected downturns (or more if your area is notoriously unstable), and work out the percentage 1/2 or 1 month rent income is of that period (in our case more like 1-2 months).I think, in the vast majority of cases, and particularly if you work out how many empty months bad screening or management can cost you, you'll see there's no doubt as to the financial gain potential a good PM or tenant placer can be worth.And that's without even taking into account the personal toll of time and resources spent when you do it all yourself...

What do you think about this article:http://business.theage.com.au/japans-hunger-becomes-a-dire-warning-for-other-nations/20080420-27ey.htmlI've been hearing of limits being placed on rice purchases in parts of California, and friends in the food industry say that their companies (the major food producers) expect prices to climb tens of percent this year alone.Thoughts?

That happened in Japan and it will happen to the United States starting - NOW!