If you are flipping, you'll have to increase your price bracket above the low end where the buy & hold guys play.I was at a REI club meeting in Sacramento last night and numerous people said the same thing....Blackstone and THR are both buying up lots of property right now in this market.

I've tried numerous times

There are numerous paid sites that are available from data and servicing companies that can give you that same information as well, such as:http://www.listsource.com/quick-lists/estimated-equity/estimated-equity.htm

Rental and For Sale signs are always an invitation for theft, just as a weeks worth of newspapers on the lawn.There are several ways to reduce the risk of theft.

If numerous similar houses are selling for, say, $15K, you're not getting $23K.Have you done something that is highly unusual for that sort of house?

Jim Hamrick since the land ajoins yours, I'd invite the owners out to get a feel on their mindset on selling.

I would venture to guess that Josh has an open invitation to him to speak again.Bryan Hancock - I agree with you that nobody has a clear cystal ball on the factors you mentioned, though I do want to point out the basis of my thoughts and they were not to say that he can predict exactly what is going to happen.

Do you think it is unethical for a large property holder to use a tragic event to advance the cause of creating a safer, more inviting neighborhood which, in turn, improves their own property values?

What you are proposing is less than ideal because of numerous reasons.

Also, I suggest you use the search function before asking questions; the ones you are asking here have numerous already existing threads that you should read.