Usually this price is $2.50 or $3 I'm told.

If it's the later,, more than likely your over market price or not offering suitable terms.Get out look and at the competition and get a perspective of your price setting.Usually a rental is advertised well in advance of the present tenant vacating and your in the wrong end of the loop people looking for rentals now are planning on vacating December 1st,, people usually look 60 days in advance to get perspective if they are going to give notice where they are to relocate in 2 months.

You have to be good at:Marketing to find deals, which usually takes money.Knowing how to run comps accurately, which requires MLS access, skill and experience.Knowing how to estimate construction costs accurately - which is a skill that takes a lot of learning.Knowing how to negotiate with sellers.

For example, we specialize only in B/B+ properties in good areas with high rental demand which usually sell (at or below market value, per appraisal) for $80-130K and provide 7-25% ROI in the first year depending on financing etc.

We have a new president pretty soon and usually that is followed by a recession.As for 100 basis point swing, I have two broker listings for the same property.

Hi BP,I was trying to figure out what is the average fixed cost in Massachusetts for an end buyer in the Hampden County Area, anyone has a clue what these numbers usually look like?

I can usually find fairly good clean, tenants, especially in certain areas.

I was speaking with an investor with about 25 years experience with Class C rentals and he said he usually uses 15-20% of monthly rent to account for maintenance and capital expenditures combined.  

Good writeup @John Mathewson@Zachary Foust I usually don't recommend becoming an agent first because of the time and expense, and because people usually use it an excuse not to start investing.  

Usually, REO offers get pretty quick responses.Along with the BP forums and podcasts, I would also recommend joining he local REIA such at DIG (www.digonline.com).Steve Babiak co-chairs the Montgomery and Chester county sub-group which meets in Collegeville every month.