The primary, if not only, reason there has been a brief spike in subsidized demand for housing in recent months (2012), has been the GSE/FHFA endorsed REO-To-Rental plan, and associated securitization conduits, in which large asset managers have been encouraged to take advantage of government funded, risk-free financing (and entirely bypassing banks who have given up on loan origination due to legacy liability issues which have every bank tied up in litigation from now until Feddom come - just see today's Bank of America results) and purchase foreclosed properties in bulk, with the intention of converting them into rental properties.http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-17/och-ziff-calls-top-reo-rental-exit-landlord-businessIt is no secret that in addition to the well-known phenomenon of "foreclosure stuffing", one of the primary drivers of the artificial housing "recovery" has been the surge of hedge funds and asset managers into purchases of rental units courtesy of near-zero cost REO-to-rent federal lending facilities, which have taken out distressed inventory from the market in hopes of converting it into rental.

But, in some markets, it will be more volatile, you will see spikes up and down.I don't plan to buy in the US until at least late 2015 unless there are some dramatic changes.As for the foreign money flowing in, that has already happened and will continue.

If these inventory levels as described in the report stay low and there aren't any drastic spikes in interest rates like late last summer, 2014 looks good for flippers like me.

I guess this idea is for people who are worried about some unforeseen catastrophe where vacancy spikes in their area and all of their rentals go vacant...

You won't get huge spikes (in either direction), but if you buy right and in good locations, take care of your properties and manage well, you should see good long term returns.

My name is Nghi and my interest and drive for real estate investing spiked this month after attending a conference on it.

I'm a real estate agent in the area and the interest in duplex seems to be spiking this summer, thought that is just based on my recent clients who have been after duplexes.For local networking, I recently discovered a local meetup group that meets at the El Chico restaurant twice a month for lunch, though I have not had a chance to attend myself yet. 

Some will even attach a large linked chain to a collar with spikes to make themselves look "bad".

After that, we now keep tabs on how up to date tenants are in paying their utilities.Keeping tabs on the water usage by looking at the bill will also help you identify leaks or unauthorized occupants, as the water usuage will spike for either of those reasons.

She is clearly in control of the situation and has you on your heels.