Several government foreclosures (HUD, Fannie mae, Freddie mac and possibly VA homes) have a two week priority period for owner occupants and if you can keep an eye on these sites and pull the trigger when there is a property with equity it might be a better way to capitalize on your housing than simply trying to capture rent check each month.

In Maryland the seller needs to provide a disclosure/disclaimer statement, and older homes need a federal lead paint disclosure.

I've said this before on BP, the time to sell is when someone offers you more than what you would pay for your asset.My best guess is that we will return to "normalcy" in 2015, barring any major surprise by government(s).

Bill's suggestion will allow you to get favorable government sponsored financing (e.g.

HUD homes are federal property and any work done before closing is considered destruction of federal property and a felony.

Steve:Sorry I did not get to this last evening as I committed ... it slipped my mind.In our neck of the woods, we have a standard government lease (called Form 6) which, while it is not obligatory we use it, any lease you draw-up yourself cannot deviate or contradict the standard lease ... so most folks use it.The standard lease allows the landlord to attach their own Schedules to the lease ... most notably Schedule A - Additions to the Standard Lease ... this is where your "house rules" are to be found.In our Schedule A, we have a section on Alterations to Rental Property which contains the following clauses:1.The Tenant agrees to use only putty, tacks, pins or finish nails but not stickers or tape as picture hangers. 2.The tenant agrees not to make any additions, changes or alterations to the rental property without prior written permission of the Landlord.

In the name of quicker access to real estate information in the hands of local government folks (register of deeds, local assessor, tax collector, county surveyor and map providers, etc.)

The market is really hot, especially with surplus properties owned by our local government.

Unless something changed recently, as you say, federally - I have seen million dollar homes get foreclosed on for HOA dues.

Over the last five years ago our government has been pumping in billions of dollars into the economy.