We could:1) Cash out our $3,000 index fund and $1,000 in individual stocks, taking a loss (this loss won't help us with taxes, our income is so low we get everything back anyways), and scrounge up loose change for the rest.2) Ask our bank to lower the interest rate on our debit card credit line (currently 9.75%), extend our credit from $1,000 to $5,000 and live off credit this summer until we can take out more student loans in the fall.

This gets us back to what is largely interpretation, and the down side of what the second appraiser, who derives his income from the business he gets from the lender (read incentive to keep it low,) will come up with as a value.In a down market when you are using only very recent comps, however inappropriate they may be, the math says that you will send values lower at a much faster pace – thus the downward spiral we are seeing in some areas.

My realtor friend said lets see how low they will go and we offered $27K ... ended up settling for $34K....

I've heard percentages as low as 33%.

If we end up in a long term recession (low probability IMHO, though others will disagree), prices will be further depressed.

Consider appreciation on the low side but steady over a number of years.

Not to mention yard costs, utilities, maintenance during the holding period.I think you need tons of cash to remodel these days or stick to low end products.

Not every low income person is a criminal, but nearly all criminals live in low income rentals!

I don't know, maybe I should just buy a portapotty and a prefab shed from Lowe's and slap in together out there so I can wax a little braveheart, "Stephen is my name and this is my island!"

Jon:I have always used generic 'For Rent' signs from Lowes and they seem to work fine generating responses from passing traffic.