The basic troubleshooting of electrical saved me several service calls and I changed out exhaust fans myself after that.

Many of the "experience" investors are not really into the topic being presented but rather are at the back of the room, off to the side, etc just networking, talking and telling "fish" stories.When it comes to knowing who is serious and not, Josh hits it right.

The was a federal act passed in DEC 2007 the lenders cannot hit you with a default judgement on your primary residence keep in mind the irs can and will tax you on the spread in a short sale and one morning you will wake up to a 1099 in your mail box if you dont get a good accountant

Are you sure you have included everything - all the design and permitting fees, impact fees, roads, water, sewer, electric, stormwater, landscaping, street lights, marketing costs, commissions to sales agents, financing costs and lender fees, attorney fees, recording costs.....Also, your statement "it is already in the process of being split into 1 acre lots" worries me.

The only problem is that both apartments need electric baseboard heat which could cost several thousand dollars.

I should preface this next part by saying that I am not a futures trader, but I tried to collect this data as accurately as I could:Commodity Time period Change in costCopper 2001-2007 UP 388%Steel 2001-2007 UP 238%Asphalt Cement 2001-2007 UP 143%Cement 2001-2007 UP 92%Gasoline 2001-2007 UP 96%US electricity prices 2001-2007 UP 118%US Median HouseholdIncome 2001-2007 UP 70%US Median Price of aSingle family home 2001-2007 UP 37%Lumber and plywood were fairly flat during this time frame.

You know what PNW you hit it right on the head with the tenants wanting to buy their own houses.

The consultant who prepares the work write-up and cost estimate (or an architect, engineering or home inspection service) needs to inspect the property to assure: (1) there are no rodents, dryrot, termites and other infestation; (2) there are no defects that will affect the health and safety of the occupants; (3) the adequacy of the existing structural, heating, plumbing, electrical and roofing systems; and (4) the upgrading of thermal protection (where necessary).

There are far too many homes still in process right now which have not hit the market yet, and many more which still have not even started down the path towards defaulting, which surely will.

From my properties and when I am looking at properties to buy it seems to me that once people hit the 3 year mark they tend to be a more permanent type tenant because they start accumulating so much stuff that it makes moving painful just to save $15 per month.