January 2016 Houston Housing StatsHouston Real Estate Highlights in January Single-family home sales declined 2.1 percent compared to January, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline;Total property sales were unchanged at 4,965 units;Total dollar volume was statistically flat at $1.2 billion;At 262,663, the single-family home average price reached its highest level ever for a January;At $200,000, the single-family home median price also achieved a January high;Single-family homes months of inventory climbed to a 3.3-months supply versus 2.5 months a year earlier;Townhomes/condominium sales rose 15.6 percent with the average price unchanged at $183,076 and the median price up 2.4 percent to $140,000;Leases of single-family homes rose 2.8 percent with rents up 4.2 percent at $1,742;Leases of townhomes/condominiums climbed 12.2 percent with rents up fractionally to $1,568.

If the storm door is closed, unless it doesn't have any glass I doubt you're spending much more than a couple of dollars on heat versus closing the front door.

MORTGAGE INFORMATION: MORTGAGE Borrower: BorrowerLender: "MERS" is Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee forHomestead Funding Corp Amount: $253,255.00 Dated: January 23, 2009 Recorded: January 29, 2009 Document No.: 01 2009 540 ASSIGNMENTAssignor:"MERS" is Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Homestead Funding CorpAssignee: Bank of America, NADated: August 8, 2012 Recorded: August 22, 2012 Document No.: 01 2012 3505A ASSIGNMENTAssignor: Bank of America, NAAssignee: Nationstar Mortgage, LLCDated:June 20, 2013Document No.: 01 2013 2568 Recorded: September 6, 2013C.

6) AC is system is dated 20067) Roof probably about 10 years old8) Plumbing is galvanized pipesSome will argue that many of these things don't need to be replaced because "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".  

OK, so when looking at pre-foreclosures you have a few types of strategies to work with:Short Sale (some equity)Subject - To (low equity, possible upside down)Wrap (some equity)Fix and Flip (mid to high equity)Wholesale (high equity)If you are looking at a subject - to, the key is having a strong knowledge of the entire system AND a rockstar title company.

Typically its double that for a full system install.  

Once had a discrepancy where they measured the outside walls versus the inside walls.

The best "no sales agenda" book on personal and business finance will be a text book for college freshman or undergrads, it begins with the basics of what banks are and actually, people assume things about finance from doing business but never really understand the basics of finance and economic system, these text books can take you to more advance ideas after you get the basics.

I am not aware of any laws in the Chicago/Cook cnty/IL area, but if you do it, perhaps do it on a point based system like an tenant applicant acceptance...so if you get sued you can prove it was objective and not subjective based on protected class status.

my concern is there's systemic risk because the banks are so intertwined now.