On the federal level though, Fannie and Freddie could have property condition exceptions to aid funding loans for said distressed houses.   

I've used them a lot and the graphs and so forth always look so sharp on my screen, but what a great move to take it to that next step and use them as a visual aid so people understand you're serious and know your stuff. 

It aids us in our malady, but similar to the man drinking arsenic we need to not find causation where there is none. 

I for one believe in alternatives and choices that's what free enterprise is all about.

No need to take out financial aide or student loans for it.

The general formula is: W2 pays your personal expenses + personal reserves + investing capital, RE investment reinvests into itself until it is an income generating business (and not just a self-sustaining enterprise).

So, the PM fees alone would make a big dent in my cash flow not to mention the tenant placement fees, renewal fees, and ridiculously priced band-aid fixes.  

I worked in a factory, climbed telephone poles, and repo man in a mining town (Interesting situations-shoulda' been more Jim K sized).Then I somehow got involved with sales of large computers and enterprise software, which I did for 20 years and had my own software company for 25 years until I retired 5 years ago.

NYTIMESFortunately, once again, the rural, "red states" are coming to the rescue:"Still, New York is set to receive significant federal assistance from the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package: $5.95 billion in direct aid and another $4 billion for schools, a City Hall spokeswoman said."

If you're looking at a major city like Vegas, look at Enterprise or Henderson as an example.