""Kyle, I would ask around at REI club meetings, and network with agents and investors, to find a good local brokerage where you will only pay small flat rate commissions, and are pretty much 'left alone' to conduct your business as you see fit.

You can see this in an inflation-adjusted Cash-Shiller home price data graph:Link to larger graphNotice that from the end of WWII until the beginning of the bubble, values were flat.

This technique has some far-fetched assumptions baked in (such as finding banks that will take 60 cents on the dollar for performing notes, on the theory that the borrower MIGHT just stop paying on his underwater mortgage), but does at least attempt to exploit the crazy aspects of the current foreclosure crisis, so sure it's food for thought.And yes, a jumbo loan might be held in whole loan form (not sliced and diced) by a bank, similar to how a commercial loan would be held.

Anything under that and you probably will get a flat rejection unless you have some inside info.In my experience, Freddie Mac likes to play games and counter a lot before they come down.

Until that loosens up, the market will continue to stay flat or decline.

Other's I've known charge a flat fee such as $500 only if they are successful.Your county's website should have appeal information listed and instructions on how to pursue an appeal.

The older house directly behind us was sold about 2 yrs ago and the new homeowner gutted the home and relandscaped the fairly flat backyard, which butts up against our terraced backyard.

How do you pay a realtor, (flat rate, percentage, commission)?

Put as little cash up as possible.After doing a bit of research, I learned that an owner-occupied 2-4 flat is a good vehicle for my goals.

That excludes the fact that condo appreciation is historically pretty flat.