I think we never would never have to evict a tenant if I let my wife make all the decisions, but when she had to leave the country I take over and that is when we get bad tenants.

http://friscotexas.gov/442/Single-Family-Rental-RegistrationLooks like Frisco is starting down the path that Richardson, Garland and others have traveled.Of course they start with voluntary registration to get you in, then next year they will add inspections, then the following year a modest fee and then the next year a fee increase.This was exactly how Richardson did it.And with Frisco being one of the most indebted cities in the country per capita (municipal debt not private) then not putting on fees may be too tempting a revenue stream to pass up.

Habitat for Humanity Restore locations across the country take these type of donations ... it is a great cause to donate to and get a charitable tax deduction.

Especially in Texas we have some of the highest property taxes and insurance rates in the country.

Driving around as a teenager I found the rural country landscape was slowly changing, and the city/suburbs were growing.

Not to mention tax districts - though AL has some of the lowest property taxes in the nation, you still don't want to pay more than you have to.It may be that investing in another country is a necessity for you -  I don't know anything about the Israeli market.

He is in the process of getting his permanent residency in the country but that takes time.

Currently I design architectural projects of many sizes across the country, but it seems that all of the value (and profit) from my efforts goes to the client.

We believe that this housing and mortgage crisis has to be fixed by the people of this country; we cannot count on government and wall street to fix it; we can only count on them to allow greed to screw things up again...and that is exactly what is happening right now.  

Probably gotta repair a lot of bullet holes in the walls though :) 1 of the worst areas in the country.