I did not talk about this in the article, as this would have mean a complete overload to an already heavy piece...

    When you buy stocks you are buying a piece of paper.

This information was music to our ears because it means that despite all the stress and financial overages, we are not underwater on our house...and to me that is success!  

@Dawn Anastasi yes the couple provided their midwest landlord who I called and got a raving review but it's a private owner so who knows, in retrospect.And they indicated they were staying at Extended Stay America Pasadena since they flew into CA, which struck a chord with me as months ago when I relocated from NYC, I also stayed in Extended Stay America but the one right near Long Beach Airport, until I closed on this house. in retrospect, i realize when i advertised for a housemate on CList months ago, i had initially indicated i stayed at Extended Stay America and had just closed on my home and was looking for a housemate (and found a great one just weeks ago, who is also from NYC but now works for Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department thru a government contractor. would not put it past these characters to have actually stalked my CList posts and gathered info to use to sugar-coat their story. anyways i dont wanna get my housemate involved as he's new but at least he has connections as far as some of his clients, if it comes to that for whatever it might be worth if things escalate and/or become violent. i'm a very diplomatic person, not sure if that helps in this sutation though =/they offered to pay more rent ($300 more per month) and of course i said no, you need to work on finding a new place better and fast before time runs out for your situation. and in reply they (well the father, he does most the yapping) just asked me to install area rugs which they initially agreed to install in the first place even before 3 kids magically appeared in the picture and now are claiming the rugs will help deaden the sound but that I have to furnish them. guess there's suddenly a few screws coming lose as the act is finally falling to pieces. i mean who in their right mind is going to cater to their 'needs' after being lied to and my signature forged (God knows where else?!).

Start building the relationship with the right agent, so that you have your "team" established when the other pieces are in place.

I'm hoping to get a piece of land while I'm there for the 5 months and build a 3+1 or 4+1.

,Ask a realtor how much a vacant piece of land in your direct area cost.

You should be able to do what you want outside of work without giving up a piece of the pie.I used to wholesale a ton of bank owned properties in the 90s, but now I go after all FSBO's and rentals.Actually, being an agent may benefit you when talking with sellers.

If you live in the locations mentioned above, I have open ears for suggestions, comments, and criticisms.

Lot's of factors: it is nice piece of land, the area is "resortish" so there are a lot of seasonal rentals, etc. etc.