If you would have asked me a few years ago, I would have disagreed with you but in this market, in this economy and being self employed--I don't want the stress of millions in mortgages owed.We have paid off two properties free & clear and will have a 3rd one finished in 12 months (hopefully).

I hope I can help some, but I am not a capital expert or an examiner.

Very hard to have positive cash flow in CA on a sfr, unless you buy it with large down payments.As far as the repairs/maintenance factors mentioned by Ovetta, I disagree with the negative perception.

I disagree.

While I often disagree with MikeOh, his advice/analysis on this deal is close.When it comes to commercial multi-family units, it is very difficult to operate below the 50% OE.One thing that jumps out at me aside from the obvious "proforma" gross rents is the very low insurance rate.

The DSCR Jon mentioned is one of many figures the commercial lender will scritinize/examine.

I am a real estate title examiner in KY and I don't think the consumer needs to be bailed out, but they do need help.

Legislation was rammed through Congress so fast that watchdog groups had little time to examine the bill.

A great article... thanks Dan.It sure does fill in some of the gaps, since the "mainstream media" is telling us NOTHING.I particularly liked these two paragraphs:"What terrifies me … what wakes me in a cold sweat … is that the single most corrupt, inefficient, incompetent and idiotic institution on face of the planet is now trying to “fix†the problem.And that especially frightens me because, the closer I examine the roots of this crisis, the clearer it becomes that it was engineered almost entirely by the very bumbling buffoons who are now charged with ending it: The U.S. government."

(PS - Czech by birth; Hungarian by marriage and divorced by choice) :)Although I respect both your opinion and that of my dad, I do disagree to an extent.