London-based Lloyds TSB Group Plc stopped offering mortgages for apartments in Dubai on Nov. 11 and reduced the amount it will lend for villas to 50 percent of the price, from 80 percent.

We are in VERY difficult economic times and I am seeing people group together with increasing frequency so that they can afford the rent.

YOur best advice on how to structure this is from your attorney, not from the opinions of others on an open forum, myself included.Good luck to you.By the way, grouping funds from a few individuals to create a larger purchasing power is a great startegy when used legally and properly, such as with an LLC and O agreement.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/03/group-buys-failed-indymac-for-139-billion/

For the rest of the questions: I suggest joining my group here on BP called Note Brokers Back Office.

So if you want a 5% loan, you can keep negotiating from 5.5% on knowing you most likely won't be sent to auction.The point being, according to the group, that if you are renting the house while you're having a forensic loan audit on, you can keep negotiating the loan mod for months and collect rent until you finally accept the new terms.

Hi Chris,Welcome to the group!

I plan to save more as I learn more about REI.I wanted to ask if there were any REI clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area, Marin County or Monterey Bay area, or any groups of meetings of that sort that anyone knows of.

Hi Deanver,Welcome to the group.

It gives them a chance to get out of the group home setting and into a family setting.