When you are an investor in these deals, you are either a limited partner that has no direct influence on the execution of the deal (i.e. just providing capital to make the deal work) or a general partner that is responsible for executing the deal.The risk in executing these deals and making a profit are laid upon the general partners.

And you can also get on the HOA and try to influence matters yourself assuming you have the time. 

We might eventually move there, and that has influenced me to a small extent to look at Austin. 

It does, however, mean that a lot were when refi's and sales were at such a high volume that the lenders were not even looking at the appraisal for the most part.Getting back to the role of the lender -- all lenders are subjecting appraisals to close scrutiny, first applying certain measurements to the basic facts, and then sending it to appraisal review when it does not meet the standards of these new guidelines (and they do not meet them A LOT right now.)It doesn't matter what the realtor feels it is worth or sometimes even what the buyer is willing to pay, unless they have deep pockets to put down a larger down payment to make up the difference they cannot finance -- the lender will have tremendous influence over the value simply because they control the purse strings.

It allows my family to influence the world along lines that make sense to us.I am educating my children to believe in modest living, free markets and social responsibility.

I've been taken in by deep influence techniques and have the "feeling" of being taken by the guru.

The reason is that person to person marketing will always be an effective but cheap method of winning sales for businesses in all stages of development.Getting close and personal with a prospect allows you to have the maximum number of channels of influence available to you to persuade the prospect to complete the sale.

I was also wondering if the presence of effective public transportation 2 minutes away will influence the price upwards more, with gas prices as they are (we pay close to 6$ a gallon here) and looking like they will keep on going up.

A lot of cash flow positive properties may influence the decision!

`(g) Appraisal Independence- `(1) PROHIBITIONS ON INTERESTED PARTIES IN A REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION- No mortgage lender, mortgage broker, mortgage banker, real estate broker, appraisal management company, employee of an appraisal management company, nor any other person with an interest in a real estate transaction involving an appraisal in connection with a mortgage insured under this section shall improperly influence, or attempt to improperly influence, through coercion, extortion, collusion, compensation, instruction, inducement, intimidation, nonpayment for services rendered, or bribery, the development, reporting, result, or review of a real estate appraisal sought in connection with the mortgage.`(2) CIVIL MONETARY PENALTIES- The Secretary may impose a civil money penalty for any knowing and material violation of paragraph (1) under the same terms and conditions as are authorized in section 536(a) of this Act.