In the last six months alone, the percentage of Americans who say they view home ownership as part of the American Dream has dropped from 77% to 72%, revealing the changing feelings in America towards real estate investment and home ownership Increasing numbers of Americans are opting for a rental agreement, and only 27% of renters say they ever intend to choose to buy instead of signing a rental agreement

After a year of economic growth, with persistent discussions of a possible double-dip recession on the horizon, and little optimism for a quick economic recovery to pre-recession incomes, real estate and residential lease agreement markets, and employment, how does the recovery really look How long is the recovery going to take

Fifteen years ago, retirees wanted a spacious home overlooking a golf course in Florida as their ideal retirement real estate Today, things are looking a little different

It's estimated that as many as 40% of the foreclosed homes around the country are actually homes with a rental agreement signed, and occupied by tenants In many (if not most) of these cases, the landlord's desperation and embarrassment lead to many landlords not telling their tenants that the rental unit is going to foreclosure until the last minute, leaving tenants with little time to find a new residence

Since the days of the Roman Empire, the phrase "the Tax Man cometh" has instilled fear and dread in the hearts of citizens worldwide Fortunately for real estate investors, there are many tax deductions built into the real estate investing process, to help stem the rising tide of taxes in the last year

Being a landlord is a dream come true for many homeowners and new real estate investors, and rightfully so: what could be better than making money each month while someone else pays off your mortgage It's a great dream, and can be a great reality, with some work and some expertise

As all real estate owners know, the cost of owning a home or rental property rises steadily over time, from pesky tax assessment increases, to property insurance premiums shooting up, to property repairs For landlords, this means their rental income must increase alongside these rising costs, which in turn necessitates raising tenants' rents

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last several years, you've probably noticed how difficult it is to sell real estate in this miserable market For most real estate investors, this means that the most lucrative way to invest is to buy now while prices are low, and hold for the long term using a lease agreement to wait until the market is warmer again