You're welcome.At first reading Reed's reviews were annoying at times, but then it occurred to me that he is the way he is probably because of frustration over the "bad name" that scammers, MLMers, and rip-off type gurus cause to the industry.

That is why I allow 50% of the gross rents for operating expenses, to count all the myriad of expenses that actually occur in the real world.To carry the discussion on speculation a little farther, I would argue that operating rental properties is a BUSINESS and is not speculation at all (at least no more than any other business).

He said where the pipe goes into the sewer it goes at a weird angle and that is where the backup occurs.

Without knowing anything about the company; the principles, their background and TRACK RECORD, and about a million other questions that have already occurred to you, I'd pass.Why not just buy into a REIT.

The reason is that it is IMPOSSIBLE to predict exactly which expenses will occur for a given property in a given year.

We might even bounce (dead-cat) small for a little bit.The next BIG leg down starts in the fall where $135-140/barrel crude really starts taking it's toll and the wide-spread job losses start occuring coupled with possible reduction in mortgage purchases by the GSE's (freddie & fannie) and the fed bumping rates up a tad to support the weak dollar.

They only occur here 1-2 times a year.

I also have a good deal of experience in loan closings, most of which have typically occured in the borrower(s) home.

I'm asking if anyone here makes loans that are Deeds of Trust, in other words they are written up that way...as Deeds of Trust....recorded at the county as such.In my mind when you are loaning private money in small amounts....the only way you can be protected from being in the second position (and ultimately thrown out if foreclosure occurs) to the 1st mortgage holder is to write it up as a Deed of Trust.

We are all in the game.I profit no matter what the economy is doing.I profit more when the media says the economy is in bad shape.Because fear causes people to run scared away from money that is laying around.I think it's all a matter of knowing what is going on and that these are just cycles that are always occuring and adjusting your strategy to fit.There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to buying and selling properties.Laws change ....we adaptMarkets change.... we adaptFed changes rates....we adaptBanks tighten up on their lending ....adapt More forclosures ....adaptCan anyone tell me of one market condition that hasn't existed in the past.It has all happened before and it will happen again in the future.Very few inovations in Real Estate.Just people who know how to put it together.