Another time was to get info on special deals with Home Depot and to learn how to log into one of HD's systems to place orders (not their retail website).Yesterday, however, one of the longer standing REIAs in Dallas asked me to help them at meetings.

Mitigate those odds with massive due diligence. 

Retail/Office leasing or investment sales.  

Whenever I explain the process as I know it to my retail clients, they turn pale and ask me to take them to a house that's not a fixer upper ;)  

Could sell as-is to retail buyers for around $215,000 (those are comps, same model and condition house across the street sold for 215), but with a few updates comps are around $240,000 in the neighborhood. 

We already have massive amounts of debt which are going to be triggered by any real drop in unemployment, so we now have a prime opportunity to make this situation even worse by getting entangled in a mess in Europe we have been extremely fortunate to avoid thus far.

The difference between 2005 and now, is that back in 2005 deals were bought at a massive negative amortization, as you stated and they were purchased solely as a gamble for appreciation.

Retail Rehab: 32k Estimated Rehab: 26k (My Cost) After Repair Value: 220-240k (Shooting for highside with finishes) B+ neighborhood Rent: 2,200$ (2 blocks from university) Taxes: 3,850$ (320$ monthlyLoan Type: FHA 203k Nonstreamline (Self Help) Closing Costs: 7,800$ (Not sure where those numbers are coming from?

I still have massive tendonitis in my elbow from last months Salmon extravaganza its amazing how catch 4  30 lber bright fish will torch your elbows..

If/when I have $1M, I would look at investing it into value-add or income producing multi-family apartment complexes or retail strip centers.