Buying foreclosed properties from a bank is fine way to buy and may be ideal for your area if there is a high foreclosure rate.

Now I work a 9-5 in the IT field where I play different roles depending on the projects I'm needed for: programmer/ business analyst / team lead.

Ideally, we are looking to bid between 2001 and 2003 prices of those houses.

It's working well right now.I like word games, reading, playing with my wife and baby (in different ways, of course), and I like gadgets (PDA's, laptops, etc.).I got my bachelor's degree via distance learning in less than a year's study time (and it's a real degree, regional accreditation and all).

The lenders I deal with (CW) (BofA) Citi) are not as open to discounts when they know an investor is the buyer.

There is always the DISCLOSURE part that comes in to play with a license, an as an investor you want to get the most you can( not taking advantage of people) but just be the better negotiator :D .......

I'm not trying to gain her confidence or become her friend, or play any other silly guru games.

Play by my rules or don't play at all.....

This would be ideal for a short sale right?

And you get to play 'parent' to them, too.What doesn't change are the fundamentals of succesful real estate investing, i.e. equity at closing, good cash flow, etc.