I am a 43 year-old 6th grade teacher and football coach.  

The reason they could do this so easily is that AAA ratings were given to mortgage pools that were comprised of a significant amount of individual mortgages that would not have been rated anywhere near investment grade.

If you've already tried the first step by observing what happens outside and in during a heavy rain - making sure that water is redirected away from the foundation by making sure that the gutters are working correctly, the downspouts are emptying at least 6' from the foundation, and that the soil is graded away from the foundation - and you're just looking for a quick fix, you might try plastic or fiberglass wall panels.

The concrete is above grade and chalky...very dry.

Construction Contractor2nd grade teacherRadio DJI was only good at 1 of the 3!

A residential subdivision had been appraised as “80% complete”, but when I visited it, it had only been rough-graded, probably no more than 15% complete.

@Ana Nomys  @Thomas Young Classification of PropertiesA Properties-Cream of the CropBuilt within last 10 yearsRented by younger professions Command Highest rentsAmenities Pool, Workout Room, Tennis Clubhouse etc.High Speed internet, Alarm systems etc.Properties lower maintenance low-risk tenantsTenants maybe relocating, looking for a home, Dual Income couples no kidsTurnover higher than a C PropertyConsider Highest and Best use maybe a special population.B Properties Still High EndBuilt in last 20 yearsRents quite high not as high as A propertyTenants white collar workers and higher paid blue collarC Properties Gold that looks like leadBuilt within the last 30 years.Tenants blue collar some government sponsored Vehicles in lot >10 years old and > number of pickup trucksMost vehicles gone during the day—workingSome deferred maintenance.In rentals foreverD Properties-Worst Area of townBuilt 40 years or moreGood CashflowManagement IntensiveNot a good starting out propertyAssisted housing, out of prison, hard luck etc.Lets take a look at the city and grade the areas.Grading Areas of the CityA AreasUpper level society resideHigh end PropertiesPath of ProgressConstruction tear down old build newB AreasBlue collar workers liveBusiness in area serve needs, bowling alleys, Nail salons, pizza movie rentals etc.Comb subsidized housing and othersIf you allow subsidized make sure they have a job.C AreasFilled with restaurants and business that support c-type tenantsOld strip malls in need of repair.

And as mentioned over and over, the key issue for sucessful out-of-state ownership is a Grade A+ property manager.Of course after a month of flooding in the midwest where my properties are, it does make you really think about it ...

Our grades were many times never a reflection of our interest in a subject, but instead a reflection of the fear that our parents put into us if we did bad.After the last year of our formal education we no longer recieve paper report cards.

In high school I was a jock, played around and grades weren't a concern even in basic courses, my A's were in music and gym.