第28部分(第1/6 页)

We　looked　for　a　house　for　two　weeks；　a　house　that　would　fit　all　the　criteria　we　were　looking　for。　There　were　a　lot　to　choose　from；　so　the　shopping　was　kind　of　fun。　Finally；　we　found　a　3　bedroom　2　bath　home　in　a　prime　neighborhood。　The　owner　had　been　downsized　and　needed　to　sell　that　day　because　he　and　his　family　were　moving　to　California　where　another　job　waited。

He　wanted　102；000；　but　we　offered　only　79；000。　He　took　it　immediately。　The　home　had　on　it　what　is　called　a　non…qualifying　loan；　which　means　even　a　bum　without　a　job　could　buy　it　without　a　banker's　approval。　The　owner　owed　72；000　so　all　my　friend　had　to　e　up　with　was　7；000；　the　difference　in　price　between　what　was　owed　and　what　it　sold　for。　As　soon　as　the　owner　moved；　my　friend　put　the　house　up　for　rent。　After　all　expenses　were　paid；　including　the　mortgage；　he　put　about　125　in　his　pocket　each　month。

His　plan　was　to　keep　the　house　for　12　years　and　let　the　mortgage　get　paid　down　faster；　by　applying　the　extra　125　to　the　principle　each　month。　We　figured　that　in　12　years；　a　large　portion　of　the　mortgage　would　be　paid　off　and　he　could　possibly　be　clearing　800　a　month　by　the　time　his　first　child　went　to　college。　He　could　also　sell　the　house　if　it　had　appreciated　in　value。

In　1994；　the　real　estate　market　suddenly　changed　in　Phoenix　and　he　was　offered　156；000　for　the　same　house　by　the　tenant　who　lived　in　it　and　loved　it。　Again；　he　asked　me　what　I　thought；　and　I　naturally　said　sell；　on　a　1031　tax…deferred　exchange。

Suddenly；　he　had　nearly　80；000　to　operate　with。　I　called　another　friend　in　Austin；　Texas　who　then　moved　this　tax　deferred　money　into　a　mini…storage　facility。　Within　three　months；　he　began　receiving　checks　for　a　little　less　than　a　1；000　a　month　in　ine　which　he　then　poured　back　int