News flash: Real estate is in a downturn. Prices are dropping. Does this mean that you should get out of Real Estate investing? No this is actually the BEST TIME to increase your property portfolio. When you are buy property it does not really matter whether the market is up or down unless you are trying to do a fast turn over. If you are holding for the long term then you have to deal with the market fluctuations with an inevitable upward trend at some point. If you can buy at the lower end of the cycle that is the best time to buy of course.

When the real estate market is experiencing a downturn it is the best time to buy. Just check the foreclosure lists and auctions. You can pick and choose and buy normally below market value. However, keep an eye on your monthly bottom line. In other words make sure your rental income (from your new investment) equals or exceeds your outgoing including mortgage repayments. If you have other income you may be able to stand an extra $100 or more per month to top up the mortgage but try to avoid it. You will sleep far better at night knowing that the mortgage payments are taken care of.

If the property market is rising you can be confident that the value of your investment is increasing. That is where your profit is and you should be able to sell if necessary. However, that was a few years ago when the market was more positive but now the reality is that the market has dropped and you need to be able to hold long term without any worries. It may take a few years before we hit healthy real estate selling conditions again, let alone a property boom.

Several investors that started during the “boom” now have to change how they are thinking about investing. This is the time when we separate “those who can from those who got lucky and made a few bucks”. Now is when the long term hold plans must start becoming the focus. This is a business. You need to do the math. Will your income from your investment cover the expenses/new mortgage?

Taking the current market woes in to consideration, the fact that now is a great time to buy and hold for the long term, goes without saying. Due diligence is the key for the next few years. Now is the time to look at buying for long term gains.

Doc Schmyz has invested all over the US. His free website shares Real estate investing information for all over the US. Find real estate information by state

There has been a huge deal of argument over companies presenting sell rent back deals to homeowners who are struggling with debts and mortgage repayments.

For those who have fail to notice this, debate cropped up when the Office of Fair Trading explored sell and rent back companies and found that several companies were handing out what amounted to phony promises on their advertisements. These commercial came by mode of TV, company websites and leaflets go down through letterboxes. Homeowners were led to judge they could sell for cash and then dwell on in the land for as long as they feel like by paying rent that was affordable. However, normally when selling this method there is no assurance of being able to rent back over the extensive term. Following the investigation the Financial Services Authority will now standardize the sell and rent back sector to warrant that homeowners get a fairer transaction.

A typical sell and rent back deal would come with the company offering to pay between 80% and 90% of the true value of the property. However, it has been revealed that there are companies out there who offer just 60% of the value of the property. Any company who wishes to continue offering sell and rent back deals will now have to agree to regulation by the FSA. This means they will have to follow certain rules and will have to succumb to checks on funding and ownership. This should lead to homeowners considering selling this way to getting fairer and more transparent valuations on their homes.

With more smaller firms and operations jumping onto the sell, rent back bandwagon during the recession, and targeting homeowners who have lost their jobs and who are faced with losing their homes, the regulations cannot come soon enough.

One of the problems with the smaller companies buying homes and renting back is that they lack funding. They buy properties and then act as agents by selling on the property to landlords who buy to let. If the landlord struggles themselves to continue meeting mortgage repayments, then of course those paying rent to remain in the home are again faced with eviction.

Reports of a enormous raise in rent after an era of time has also appear to light, which has left those with the guarantee of being able to reside in the property by paying “inexpensive” rent struggling to assemble their rent and again falling behind and being ejected.

Fortunately, there are companies out there who do have the clients best comfort at heart when they present sell rent back deals. These companies do not delude the homeowner and offer all the information essential for the homeowner to build the assessment of whether to sell this way or not. In various cases, it is not the companies who are totally to blame, but homeowners who run into selling their home without reading the agreement over with awareness from back to front. If you are in view of selling your home and renting back to evade repossession then make sure you sell to a regulated company and study the agreement watchfully.

There has been a great deal of argument over companies offering sell and rent back deals to homeowners who are struggling with debts and mortgage repayments. This and other unique content ” articles are available with free reprint rights.