The first quarter of 2013 is almost over and so far, a few trends have emerged in real estate. These trends are not set in stone, nor can we be sure that they will continue on the same trajectories throughout the rest of the year. As with any other major part of the economy, much of real estate depends on external factors such as employment, interest rates, and general economic conditions.
With that being said, the first quarter of 2013 has established a few trends in the national market that extend into regional and local markets and could point to broader movement throughout the rest of the year.
For a good number of real estate professionals, 2012 wasn't a great year. We were still on a downward spiral towards the bottom of the real estate market. This wasn't exciting news for real estate investors looking to make profitable deals 
Investing in income producing property can be the single-most rewarding aspect of getting into real estate. Yet, it also comes with some significant responsibilities including mortgages, maintenance and property taxes. In some cases, annual property taxes can be astronomical for high dollar value properties and regions where the housing market is popular. Additionally, there are some regions where property tax assessments are not handled well, leaving real estate investors and home owners paying far more than the properties are actually worth.
