If anything the program has reinvigorated me to get back into the game.

I'm about to refinance my investment property under the HARP program and was wondering if I should go with a 15 or 20 year fixed.

There should be a public hearing to get neighborhood feedback.

Eric,If you would read my post, you would see I fully support the Habitat program.

The area is very walkable with plenty of access to public transportation as well.

This is because the county public admins had passed up working these files, for whatever reason.

Many of those deal aren't deals, they are divorce settlements, transfers to family or trusts may be investors putting stuff in an llc.Sounds too like your Realtor just put you on the public side of the mls, solds are there but limited to mls members, a Realtor giving out access to the public would be in for it, doubt you'll have that much of a favor unless you marry them.Try courthouse records, multiple mortgagors are buyers with financing, grantees with no deed of trust are cash buyers.

First get qualified for financing, then shop for deals ;-)If you do FHA you may be able to find one eligible for 203k program giving extra cash in the loan for rehab.

How are you on BOCA, OSHA, Environmental Engineering, Marketing, Planning & Zoning aspects, obtaing zoning variances, politics in the area, working with utilities and thier engineers, financing projects......I could go on....Point is, you won't get this out of a few books, universities offer degree programs and new grads still are only prepared to assist an established developer.Best thing is to work with one and learn.Many developers were GCs before they started, probably started with a small number of lots and built in phases or got an existing area and built to suit.

Depending if they converted ir not it could be oil or gas heat and shouldn't cost you anything and should be public water.