There is one here on the sight that looks pretty solid if not overkill compared to what I have been sent on prospective properties.Also, anyone in particular you recommend for Land Lord property insurance?

Also, we have realized that everytime we get a 'good deal' on one of the houses on the street (below PVA and market value) it helps on the next purchase on the street because it is a lower comp to compare to and justify the lower offer/purchase price.

@Steve - Yes, the rents compared to prices seems very good to me, especially considering that I'd have to buy the same house for $70-$110 in a slightly better neighborhood, but I wouldn't get much more in rent despite that.

If you have completed any amount of short sales you do upfront work first to not waste time.Never take what a seller says at face value.They will tell you anything to try and get help to solve a problem but the issue is they don't know they are hurting instead of helping.The problem with sellers is at first they are motivated to do a short sale.Then as time goes on and credit is ruined and they have moved out they become emotionally detached from the property.The buyer have unrealistic time lines to close for a short sale.You need to know if your market is declining,flat,or appreciating every month.If it's appreciating or flat the benefit is to the buyer.If it is declining the benefit is to the bank because by the time it close it might have lost 5 to 10 percent of value from the contract price.Your bank actually moved pretty quick with the short sale compared to some others.A buyer and a seller need to understand it could take 3 to 6 months or longer to do a short sale.A friend of mine that is another broker in Florida has completed over 800 short sales.He is a master at them.I did residential for a few years but then moved to commercial so I haven't kept up with all the regulatory junk on the residential side.He does all residential and does not take the short sale unless the seller agrees to certain conditions from the beginning.

I would be interested to hear more from others on forecasts, both residential and commercial, backed by data be it comparative or analytically.

I would make sure to make contact with someone reliable on the ground in the market you are interested in.

Example would be a desirable steady but conservative rental property that an 'older' investor might want for a 'safe and steady' return in latter life - as compared to a more aggressive strategy.

They should also be able to tell you what type of return parameters their investors are typically looking for and you should be able to compare your structure to those of their more successful raises.Again, it all sounds like a great idea right now, but you have to also remember, capital investors get to make the rules right now.

I had a tenant tell me they only wanted to pay 600 a month when rent is 850.They said they will move.I said that is fine with me.250 times 12 is 3,000 a year in lost market rent.So if I took a tenant at 600 times 12 is 7,200.Instead I have a tenant at 850 times 12 is 10,200.So I can have it vacant for almost 4 months and be at the same point.Plus the past tenant has a judgment and I will have a company garnishing their wages for me.Another item to consider is the cost to get it re-rented.If the tenant has lived there a long time then fix up costs will be high compared to a newer tenant you have to get out unless they had animals,smoked,etc.Once you file eviction on the tenants most likely they will not pay anything as they are saving to move and go somewhere else.The down side of a vacant unit is vandalism and crime,more maintenance,and worrying about busted pipes etc.Hope it helps.

I have heard conflicting responses... some believe it's the same as SFH (comparable sales), others say it's more like a stock ("value" is NPV of future returns).Anyone actually know because they've had an appraisal done for a purchase or refi?