Aly I think the conventional wisdom, is operating expenses are generally 45 to 50% of gross rents.

This is true that the homeowner can refinance their home to save themselves but in most cases it is very hard to get conventional lending when you have a rolling 30, 60, or 90.

I'v bought and sold three homes over the last 25 years, but they have all been conventional deals through realtors with closings conducted at title companies.

As for buy and hold, get an area that will appreciate fastest in this market...You can retire early :DWith the lending market continuing to tighten, the increased housing inventory, and the recession, it is much more difficult and "risky" (very loose term) to flip in these market conditions.

Conventional lenders will cap your residential holdings at a max of 10 mortgages.

If you are holding property with the intent to sell to customers, then you have inventory and that is not depreciable.

I think the inventory has an affect on how quickly find tenants.

Yes I said investors too, most people think that FHA loans are only meant for low & moderate income families that can't afford conventional lending.

Columbus has an amazingly large inventory of REO properties, which i've been taking advantage of, but I have no experience in purchasing in bulk.

Wo do analysis at a few lenders and market their product based on all the issues the seller will face and price the inventory accordinglyWe can, will, and do what your seller needsEven if they just want a free site....I have some they can use,The time spent answering the speculation hounds will ultimately realize one certaintyTime is a valuable commodity....