NAR has great lobbying power, but the drive to open the information architecture and platforms -- aka the drive for convenience -- is dominant to resisting change in the marketplace.This doesn't paint the picture of a really strong opposition (alternative real estate models for brokers, MLS, agents, etc.), but it's a start and at least they're off their couches and into Capitol Hill, where the battle gets waged.http://www.inman.com/hstory.aspx?

Each lot will be at least .23 acres or greater with City water.Located right near the Caloosahatchee River, six of these lots will over look this pristine River and with it being less then a two minute drive from public boat ramps launching right into Lake Okeechobee it’s a fisherman’s dream come true.

They expect a government handout while they drive cars that look better than mine, get expensive hair and nail treatments, and generally sit around all day.

In my experience lawn care isn't a driving factor on SFRs.

After they've called on your ad, they'll "drive" the neighborhood before they come to your door.

We would do the open houses and the rest of the marketing to drive traffic.

If you went that route, you'd be making about $150/month and for the time you spent driving back and forth and dealing with problems, you'd have picked up another job, not an investment.There are plenty of areas in the country where you can buy for less than that, have someone manage them and not have nearly as much leveraged.Does that make sense?

Although I had all good houses in good neighborhoods I didn't want to spend any part of my retirement driving back and painting, roofing etc so I sold out.

Home prices in various metropolitan areas for the 2nd quarter -- there are still some double digit growth markets, but if you look at the overall, growth is small or non-existent (the midwest is pricing at 2% lower since last year).http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/15/real_estate/metro_prices_table/index.htmWhat does this mean, especially coming from me?

From driving cabs to cooking pizza to canvassing door to door.