Hi everyone,

Long time reader, occasional poster. In a position to make my first move and am looking at a property that may fit the bill. Please review and let me know if I'm overlooking anything. Beginner owner-o...

Because we know the cost of everything, the program then tabulates the cost and prepares a list of materials for a contractor.That kind of detail comes from doing hundreds of projects a year and keeping a detailed analysis of what everything costs including your labor.

I would perform that analysis and, it possible, put such a plan in-place.

But times have changed.Making an equity based note today without any application or credit analysis would be a great door opener to predatory lending and dealing.

I think that an objective analysis such as yours puts things in prospective for a landlord.

@Mark F. excellent question...I've learned a lot about property analysis from podcasts, books etc., but there are certain aspects of property analysis that I've had to learn mostly from experience.I often think of property analysis in two ways: First is "the paper assessment" (which includes the P/L spreadsheets, the appraisal, SQ footage, data on the local market, and all other info that can be easily conveyed on paper--or at least on a computer). 

I did some digging through the forums in an effort to try not to duplicate, but couldn’t find what I was looking for.What analysis metrics do you guys focus on when analyzing a deal?  

I'd recommend David Greene's book, "Long-Distance Real Estate Investing," if you haven't found it yet.Here are some resources you might consider with various perspectives on this:* A guide to market analysis* "Identifying Your Best Market, Neighborhood, and Property in 8 Steps"* "Is That Neighborhood Up-and-Coming?

@Adrian Lammersdorf-Sciollyou can do all the analysis you want, but if it's already listed on LoopNet:-it's probably not a good deal-they probably won't accept less than asking price

Far too many get stuck in the "paralysis by analysis" stage, thinking they just don't know enough to get started.