With still plenty of distressed inventory out there, potential real estate investors are taking notice. Unlike the waves of investors in the past who bought and flipped properties at lightening speed, the majority of today’s investors are taking a slower approach. In a recent RealtyTrac survey, 100 respondents identified as real estate investors were queried on their views regarding the market. The group was comprised mainly of investors who’ve been active in the market from 2006 through 2012. Of the 100 respondents, over 48 percent noted that they had been involved in the process for over seven years. Another 35 percent of the individuals reported that their investment activity spanned between just two and seven years.
The RealtyTrac report also revealed that many of today’s investors were considered relatively small scale because they purchased five or fewer properties. Among those who participated in the survey, 55 percent that bought properties in 2012 fit the conservative buyer model. This type of private real estate investor is considered more of a small portfolio player than one who is backed by a hedge fund collective or other such large interest.
Slumlord jokes aside, investing in rental property, fixing it up and finding a few good tenants is a goal that many individuals have. A market that has been flooded with short sales and distressed homes has made this plan a reality for many. What happens when the best laid plans fall apart because you discover that those charming people who signed your lease agreement turn out to be less than respectable? In fact, the neighbors have been calling constantly about suspicious activity and the police have even been by a few times.
Max Raskin of Bloomberg BusinessWeek, reported in late January on the “crowdfunding” phenomenon in real estate. Thanks to the “Jumpstart Our Business Startup Act” or JOBS, which became a law last April, American investors may soon be allowed to buy equity in private properties. The legislation allows a larger group of small investors to participate by limiting monetary restrictions on the amount required to get into the game. 
As the housing market makes small strides toward recovery, more and more people are choosing to invest in rental properties. With a lingering abundance of distressed and discounted homes, some markets are even seeing large financial firms buy homes in bulk, fix them up and offer them as rental properties. Even if you’re not an experienced investor, you may be considering jumping on the bandwagon by making an investment purchase on a smaller scale. One of the most popular ways to do this is by 
Gay Cororaton, a research economist for the National Association of Realtors, issued an 
The rental market has been beefing up in 2012, as vacancy rates dip and average rental prices pick up. According to a 
In addition to the 
ome vacation-home markets are on the cusp of recovery, which may not yet be reflected in sales prices,” according to Max. To find out if they are, consult with a realtor to determine the number of available homes now as compared to the number from six months ago. If the number has decreased, prices will probably be on the rise. It’s also important to consider that home prices in vacation hotspots rise and fall proportionately to those of its neighboring areas.
The demand for rental property has risen dramatically across the country, causing widespread rent increases. This information comes from a recently released housing report by Harvard University. The report, which examines several aspects of the U.S. housing market, also indicated that 
