Are you missing out on a very lucrative niche investment opportunity?

Even thought it has slowed, the U.S. housing market hasn't gone into the swoon predicted by many economists, which is good news for most Americans. The market is still flat and overall home sales haven't been this slow since back in 1991, but there are signs that lower financing costs and falling prices are beginning to lure buyers back.

I'm more concerned with remodeling a home using design psychology and home staging than finding a seller that's so motivated that I can low-ball a house, but people often ask me how they can find motivated sellers in their area. Here are a few ideas I give them along with tips that makes the strategy work:

Real estate investment and flipping houses has become a hot topic on television and in the media these days, but before you get caught up in the investment fervor, you need to provide honest answers to some serious questions.

You probably know investors that are making $25,000, $50,000 or even $100,000 per deal by buying properties cheap, fixing them up and selling them retail at a big profit.

You probably know investors that are making $25,000, $50,000 or even $100,000 per deal by buying properties cheap, fixing them up and selling them retail at a big profit.

If you, like many investors, have rising property costs, take another look at the average rent in your area. You may be surprised to find that you can raise your rents sooner than you planned.

You probably know investors that are making $25,000, $50,000 or even $100,000 per deal by buying properties cheap, fixing them up and selling them retail at a big profit.