Also how are you screening your people so you dont get a lot of junk calls thanks!

Given the facts that (1) I could get into a property for a measly 3.5% down, which would free up cash to invest in other places if I so chose, (2) I was already throwing away rent every month such that I could still be cash flow negative of $650/month (what I was paying in rent) and still be better off because a portion of my monthly payment would be building my equity and the rest would be tax deductible, and (3) I’m in my 20s and have the time to take a long-term view of appreciation potential, it was a no-brainer to go the FHA 4-plex route in Los Angeles, despite the fact that it is one of the most expensive markets in the country.One thing to keep in mind when looking for an FHA owner-occupied triplex or fourplex is that 85% of the market rents on all four units need to cover your monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and mortgage insurance).

Interesting, but we need our view to be know directly to the SEC it they are to have any effect.

I know that doesn't sound good but I do know other owners in their that do not have any of these issues so I'm chalking a lot up to the fact that the screening wasn't tight enough (I was not involved in this).

I am currently screening an application and the Tennants are moving from a small city in one state over to a larger city for a new and better job.

After you've done enough of these, you'll fee comfortable using rules-of-thumb to screen deals, with reasonable knowledge of what your HML costs will be.

A DC initiative was also mentioned.As the story quotes Eric Grumdahl of MN, "we are asking landlords to affirmatively choose to house veterans who, frankly, in this market would be very easy to screen out..." - but if you have appropriate housing, having the incentives certainly helps!

There are a lot of REI guides but those are mostly written from the point of view of people seeking for loans rather than making them.

Like the others have mentioned, one problem with being an absentee landlord is showings and moving tenants in and out.Other aspects like marketing, tenant screening and rent collection can be done pretty effectively remotely.The properties I own near me I manage.  

I was a newbie, I did not know how to screen or evict tenants properly, and my tax returns showed loss after depreciation.