On a positive note: The HUD house is not in a particularly bad neighborhood.

The realtor can check out properties you are interested in making offers on to determine that the neighborhood/property are worth it.

Even heard of old waterfront housing neighborhoods bought out to simply develop higher-density housing as it would make more money for the city having condos and a marina instead of old established waterfront homes.

So now instead of a 2 bdrm 3rd floor apt, buying someone else's condo, he owns a 3 bdrm, 2bth in a nice neighborhood, and his roommate moved in and helps him pay the mortgage, so his payments are about the same.

He has always paid his rent on time but is a nuisance to the neighborhood and his(my) yard looks like a junk yard.

I've got a friend who said that an indian casino is going to be built next door to his small neigborhood (50-60 homes in neighborhood) -- the casino property will be directly adjacent to the neighborhood (as-in sharing a common boundary line).

Then I noticed all the foreclosures in my neighborhood which were starting to get neglected.

While driving through a neighborhood, we came across a house that is empty.

Don't completely avoid Natomas, Antelope, Rancho Cordova and Elk Grove, just make sure you're purchasing in neighborhoods where you would live yourself.

If not, they get their land.Times of India is an english language newspaper.