I lived in Baltimore for about a year and lived in Federal Hill.

I've heard people refer to the return on T-bills as the risk free rate, but even that's contingent on the government remaining solvent :)There's no way I'd go through the trouble of operating income properties for a 10% return either.. and I'd like to assume most others wouldn't either.. although seeing some of the price to rent ratios for recent sales around the nicer suburbs in my area makes me question that assumption sometimes...All in all the thrust of the argument was that a reasonably competent investor should not have much trouble securing, at the very minimum, a 10% return on their capital without taking on excessive risk or administrative burden. 

Conventional or government assisted?

Hi I recently came across some local programs in the Chicago area (Chicago Home Assistance Program) that offers a grant for up to 7% of the loan value so I was just curious to know if anyone has used any government sponsored programs like this to buy an investment property.If anyone has any experience with this I’d love to hear about it.

I do not want to be completely beholden to the federal reserve in this time of rising interest rates. 

Rent is in section 8 housing and rent comes in on the 1st every month  Rent: 700$House has passed all government paperwork to be section 8 compliant. yearly insurance is 345$would need to use property management company to manage the property. utilities are paid for by the tenant.Does this add up? 

Also, 20% of federal taxes had to be withheld from the distribution, and Form 945 had to be filed by January 31 of the year following the distribution. 

I think this area is of law is mostly governed by case law rather than statutory laws, but you would want to ask an attorney to follow-up. 

Hypothetically, as a builder / developer, would you pay a slight premium for property that has the federal historic tax credit of 20%, a state historic tax credit of 25% and a city empty building tax credit of 25% - capped at $500,000, as well as a dense mixed use approved PUD, and a tentative $5 mil TIF district for the site?

This is why central banks act as lenders of last resort and governments provide deposit insurance and equity injections.