Regarding home owners that are current on their mortgages, I don't know if I agree that the resulting mortgage payment savings will result in a dollar for dollar increase in consumption.

As a result, the US will import less from Japan, improving our trade balance, and subsequently increasing real GDP = (Consumption + Investment + (Exports - Imports).

The statistical average is 30% more consumption with water when the landlord pays for it and the amount is actually higher with loss as they are slow to report leaks which turn a 100 problem into a 500 problem by the time you find it.

@Jacob Sugar - do you know how you cross a desert?

RUBS is a more accurate way to bill tenants on their utility consumptions and helps to increase income and reduce expenses.4.

Sales also increased 6.6% at gas stations, mostly due to higher prices (not higher consumption).

We're in Portland, Oregon and very few cases can you hit the 1% "rule", and if you do you have to be creative.I wanted to share a win today that has been in the making for the past 10 months because I think it is a good example of what a low cap environment looks like and what a solid base hit looks like for those that want to invest in small multifamily deals.Here are the details on the property:9-units in an up-and-coming neighborhood Purchase price: $1,550,000Cap rate: 4.5%Average rent was ~$995 and Owner was paying for garbage and water/sewerWhen we took over we immediately had a couple units turn over, which was great because we wanted to get in there to do some upgrades (we do a lot on the sustainability side that include reducing hazardous building materials, energy efficiency upgrades, bike storage, decreasing utility consumption, etc).

While we still earn a respectable W2 income along with passive net cash flow from rental portfolio, the reduction in consumption has proven powerful in increasing our rental investment potential.  

For sale is a one of a kind, landmarked, limestone townhouse on one of Sugar Hill's premiere historic blocks.

Texas should replace the property tax system with an appropriate consumption tax equivalent.