Most consumers think this is the appraiser's choice, but don't realize that this is the lender's decision.

It will be interesting to see what gives.It appears that the availability of exsiting housing (foreclosure at discount or just plain retail)and low interest rates are what are keeping this at current equilibrium, but with population growth, the existing stock will be consumed with time.

If you are going to buy multiple investment properties, and then become a straw buyer, I think you are long past the point of claiming to be the poor uneducated consumer who was taken advantage of by the big bad banks.

I'm trying to launch my own business right now and am not interested in getting a low paying, time-consuming salary job right now just to make the bank happy when I know my rental income and own business can cover that.

Those that accept Federal funds have the most difficult and time consuming procedures.

Our regular RE attorney (excellent one, BTW) has decided to work on the other side in consumer/ tenant protection (sheesh!)

Ironically, a lot of architects like to design green pavement sections and then the engineers make them put plastic underneath...

As Dion was saying, different lenders, mortgage, consumer, revolving accounts all look at histories differently.

Calvo says, "Money that would have been otherwise allocated towards a housing payment is going into consumer spending."

Focusing on sellers can be a lot of work and time consuming, many owners have not gotten to the point that they are willing to do unconventional methods of selling their home and many need the cash to move.