What kinds of rental properties do you operate?

My plan is to buy and hold and most of what I find looks like the figures below, which is actually an REO I am going to make an offer on on Monday:3/1 and 984 SFListed for 77,900Estimate Appraisal: 93,500 - 114,000Sold in 2006 for $110,000 - but that was during the boom...Will Offer: 69,000Bank Loan: 80%Down Payment: 20% - best my area offersTaxes: 1693.00Insurance: 1,100Repairs: approx 6,000Will probably rent for about $750 - rents not = to the 1% rule in Ocala.After I figure the taxes, insurance, 5% vacancy rate, 8% of income for maintenance (don't really know how to account for this as I'm a newbie), $210 electricity/water holding costs till rented per year, $200 for advertising to rent it per year, my OE are at 48% of my operating income . 8,400 - 3855 = 4,209.I will have 4,209 left to pay P & I, and I will be negative a couple hundred dollars the first year.

The type of deals I'd like to get in on are subject 2.I operate out of the DC metro area and southeastern VA.

Far more important to me than maximum cash flow is for the property to be "as close to self-managing as possible", as I live in Australia.What I'd really like to do is install on-site management who'll operate the landlording business, so that all the landlording becomes their problem.

Your best bet if you are not using a realtor is to try to sell creatively by owner - contract for deed, lease purchase, then you might get more buyers who are not just in the conventional arena.

If you have enough properties (or a large enough single property) to make good use of employees, I feel it is the smartest way to operate...as long as you A) LIMIT the types of work (to minimize injury risk...a worker's comp experience mod increase can put you out of business); B) pay what is necessary to attract a WELL qualified employee (NOT your typical "handyman"); C) are an efficient project manager, or are willing to delegate that task to the employee...and generally support his decisions/timelines.If you try to micromanage...you will have turnover, which will be more costly than hiring a contractor.

`(B) DETERMINATIONS- To the extent that the Board finds that a facility of the type described in subparagraph (A) is feasible and useful, the study shall--`(i) determine and identify any additional authority or resources needed to establish and operate such a mechanism;`(ii) determine whether there is a need for additional authority with respect to the loan underwriting criteria established in this section or with respect to eligibility of participating borrowers, lenders, or holders of liens;`(iii) determine whether such underwriting criteria should be established on the basis of individual loans, in the aggregate, or otherwise to facilitate the goal of refinancing borrowers at risk of foreclosure into viable loans insured under this section.`(3) REPORT- Not later than the expiration of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this section, the Board shall submit a report regarding the results of the study conducted under this subsection to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.

You're gonna get your bet advice on a question like this at your local landlord meeting.

The "50% rule" lumps vacancy, all actual operating expenses (debt service is not an operating expense), and all capital expenses (like a new roof) under the one "50% of rent" umbrella.

Properties with higher Net Operating Income are worth more than those with lower NOI.Can you put more down and it make money then?