We are getting closer to possibly closing our deal on our short sale purchase.

In the world of real estate marketing the closer the contact you make with your prospects the greater the likelihood that you will be able to influence them to do business with you.

Stay away from neighborhoods where vehicles are parked on the grass (if there is grass); where yards are strewn with junk, where tall weeds grow where there should be grass, where large groups hang out on the streets, etc.On the other hand, if you find a property that's strewn with junk, has weeds, vehicles in the yard and it stands out like a sore thumb in a NICE neighborhood, and it's for sale, jump on it.

If you remind me about it in a few weeks I will send you a copy of it Jon...and yeah...foreclosures go up drastically the closer you get to 100% LTV.

A Closer Look http://www.zerohedge.com/article/foreigners-caused-america%E2%80%99s-financial-crisis-closer-look

The following pertains to properties under 100K: In my market area, lots of properties are moving via auctions, wholesalers, REO's, etc but not at your typical 70% minus repairs but closer to 80%.

All data that people have supplied here comes in a lot closer to 50% than 35%.

I feel like the bank will just come back at me with figure much closer to what they are looking for, right?

Considered changeable sizes of humans, from giants to nanos and not just in the virtual worlds....But closer to here now, I think of the new building materials and how those might influence prices of RE in general, not just construction...Also pondered on the unprecedented inflow of human creativity today and how it could influence the very game of investing.

Finding a fully performing property especially at the 50% suggestion with multifamily is a non starter.A trophy property the owners will demand a premium.The typical buyer is a doctor,lawyer,etc. who wants a newer property in turn key condition to us as a tax shelter.They don't really need the income all that much.What I see most investors going after including myself is value add deals.Where you have a burnt out landlord or a property with deferred maintenance or both.Some people have more money than sense and do not make good managers.The value add deal is where you can create equity and cash flow the quickest.Many investors love apartment foreclosures from banks.There is no emotion like from a regular seller but also there isn't usually as many ways to structure a deal.So each avenue has it's pluses and minuses.If you talk to banks they are hoping the market gets better.If you talk to buyers many say we are still in a recession and will not pay the banks prices based on over inflated appraisals.So what you have is a stand still in the bid-ask gap pricing.Some product is moving but not the kind of volume to turn the market around yet.If you want start out with one house and build from there.I agree with everyone on the fees.The contractors will suck you dry.You have to know what work you want to do and not to do.I tell contractors I want investor pricing and that I am very cheap and want a deal.If they are looking for a retail deal don't even waste my time.Between plumbing,electrical,pest control,lawn maintenance,and on and on your cash flow can go out the window real fast.On my apartment building I have a cheap handyman mow the grass and do minor repairs.Grass company wanted a one year contract and 210 a month!