Louis Conrad at Bigger Pockets has some tips for those wanting to become Los Angeles rental property investors. “Rental costs are rising nationwide, at a time when low interest rates are coupled with friendly lenders for home buyers. In short, it’s a prime market for first-time rental property investors to take that leap and buy their first rental property. “Many people are interested in becoming rental property investors, but they feel like they don’t have enough money for a down payment. [...]

The Ventura Star carries an article by Michelle Singletary who writes, “This past summer, the Pew Charitable Trusts issued a report titled The Complex Story of American Debt that explored household debt. "One of the biggest shifts in American families' balance sheets over the past 30 years has been the growing use of credit and households' subsequent indebtedness," the report said. "In the years leading up to the Great Recession, the average household at the middle of the wealth ladder more than doubled its mortgage debt. Although Americans' debt has decreased since then, housing — which still is the largest liability for most households — and other debt remain higher than they were in the 1990s, and student loan obligations have continued to grow." [...]