This year we're already up 18% and predictions for year end run as high as another 52% year in 2007.

You can never predict accurately exactly how a deal will play out.

[Just read newspapers, housing reports, etc and you should be fairly up to speed.]But it can be quite hard to predict the FUTURE - especially with the uncertainty going on in today's market.

Method C is more "actual" but how can you predict what costs for something will really be in 10 or 15 years?

. :) Correctly predicting the answers to those questions can make or break a property.Check the lease for the national tenant and see if they have the right to "go dark" which means to keep paying the lease but close down the store.

The terms of the sale to you provides the investor with a predictable yield and investment.

If it doesn't you kind of tread water.Here is an analysis of appreciation by my Realtor James Orr http://jamesorr.com/appreciation/ I don't believe in investing just for appreciation but if it does happen in generally dwarfs cash flow on total returns for a rental property so their is something to a Bruce Norris market timing style to try and predict the market and look for appreciation but that is really hard to do in real estate the same as stocks.I wouldn't lock yourself in to being around campus, see if you could get more house for your money somewhere else in town.

Some of the algorithms used to forecast and analyze predicted patterns are truly amazing.

No, because such a short time frame it's almost impossible to predict what will happen.Personally, I would not invest in something I would not be willing to weather & hold for at least 7 years.

We don't have a lot of hurricanes like FL but when Cat 4 was predicted for our area we nailed up plywood.