This article is Part 3 of a four-part series on Land Trusts. You can find Part 1 here: Understanding Land Trusts
Now you may be asking — how is the land trust going to help me with my lender?
The answer lies in why the land trust was created, and why it’s perfectly legal. It’s basically a compromise between two opposing forces. On one side is the bank which is interested in generating income from loans and at the same time protecting itself through a security interest in real property — on the other side is the borrower (real property owner) who desires to transfer title to his property without fear of foreclosure or forced refinancing. The bank acts as the protagonist by incorporating a “due-on-sale clause” into most, if not all, mortgages its writes.
Landlords have enjoyed the upper hand since the housing crisis as increased interest from renters coincided with little new supply of rental units. Rising mortgage rates, tighter borrowing requirements and higher home prices have taken many people out of the home-buying market. Plus, many remain burned by the housing crash and don't want to own a home.
Want to know how to predict real estate prices?
Since 1971, when mortgage rates first started being tracked, they have ranged from a high of 18.63 percent in the early 80′s to a low of 3.20 percent in late 2013. Currently, rates are still relatively low and for many prospective home buyers, low rates can greatly affect the affordability of a home and the monthly mortgage payment. But, what will the future hold?
On Monday January 26th, 2014 the price of a first class stamp went up 6.5%, from $0.46 to $0.49. No one is really surprised by this, so where’s the lesson and how can it help you be a more 
My prediction for 2014 is short and sweet. “More Federal stimulus ahead causing malinvestment in localized asset bubbles”. I'll say that again but in English this time: “People do stupid things with easy money and there is a lot of easy money floating around. So, when you get some of this easy money don't be stupid with it!”
While tax returns aren’t due until April, to minimize your tax burden the strategy of accelerating rental property expenses should be considered now, according to Larry Nelson, CPA and partner at Kerkock Katter & Nelson LLP. With twenty years of experience assisting rental property owners, Nelson suggests that deducting these expenses this year could be more important than ever, especially if you’re affected by the new Affordable Healthcare Act tax.
In the aftermath of the government shut down, the value of the U.S. dollar plummeted to it's lowest point in eight months. Some economists are expecting the dollar to plummet even further in value over the course of the next few weeks. We’ve read about the effect that this has had overseas, with irate countries, China especially, advocating for the “de-Americanization” of the worldwide economy — but what are the implications for domestic investors?
Last week Blackstone’s Invitation Homes completed the first ever U.S. securitization of single family rental homes (SFR) – and from all accounts the deal was a wild success for Blackstone. Now, this is obviously great for Blackstone – but what does this mean to you, the average SFR investor?
