My business is lower-end, inner-city, and from my personal experience, what I do is positive.•Vacant houses return to the tax roles providing more revenues for local government•Rehabilitated property reduces that impact of housing shortages•Investors utilize many resources from agents, lenders and appraisers to title agencies, attorneys, construction crews, landscapers and on and on•Incomes are generated and local businesses are patronized •A flourishing housing market equals a flourishing economy•And I help other aspiring entrepreneurs become successful real estate investorsIn 1999, after a year of reading books, “harassing†other investors and faxing typed letters from the floor of my apartment (Yes, with a typewriter.

I have a decent sized LOC (at least I think it is decent sized) and thinking about using it to purchase buy and hold rental properties, using it for the down payment or cash purchase depending on the value of the property, one year later refinancing (hopefully pull equal money out I put in) and repeat.

We will see supply and demand equalize in the next 12-18 months, and that will be the number that will show us the official bottom.

DISCLAIMER--- Not all areas are created equal, so be careful.

The rent for each of the 2 studios may well be equal to or more than the additional rent made from the transfer of 2 (1 beds) into 2 (2 beds).You also have the cost associated with doing so, which could be unnecessary money down the drain.

Actually 3% isn't bad, that would equal $4.83 Million if based on the assets of $161 Million.

In general, though my position is based on an unmatched 401 vs IRA, which is based upon equal contributions over time.

One of them told me he'll buy every one of them for $20 (this got me thinking, I should be charging more since he was so eager to pay $20) I decided this, $20 a piece with a minimum order of 10, that equals $200 for you math guys :mrgreen: .

So much so that I don't have time to do hardly any of my own deals...To take your point a step further, it's equally diluted for the sellers too.

You generally must repay the credit over a 15-year period in 15 equal installments.