How can I document non-immigrant intent & ability to pay?

[gaussian]

I am applying for a B2 (tourist) visa to visit the PhD programs I am applying to in the US as well as my friends from college (expected duration: 1 month.)

About me:
- 28 year old, Male
- Graduated from an American high school in Turkey (my home country)
- Went to college in the US (4 years)
- Worked in the US under F-1/OPT-STEM (2.5 years)
- Currently staying with my family in Turkey
- Currently unemployed
- Landlord in Turkey (collecting rent from an apartment 3/4 of which I own --remaining 1/4 belongs to my mom-- and also own 1/5 in another apartment not on rent)

Questions:
1. Documenting non-immigrant intent:
Since I'm currently unemployed, I am concerned about how to document my ties to my home country. If a residence certificate from government, letter from my family, rental agreement showing I am a landlord, letters from two non-US citizen friends (PhD students at Yale & CUNY) in the US explaining they are willing to host me in their houses for a couple of weeks each this winter, emails exchanged between me and the schools I am applying to indicating this is a directed visit won't be enough to document my non-immigrant intent, can you give me any ideas about how to prove it?

2. Documenting ability to pay:
I've heard having $5,000 in your bank account is enough (first of all, is this true?). I don't have that much money in my bank account right now. If I borrow this amount from my family, the deposit date on my bank statement will read as right before my visa application date, which is bad. If, instead, I document my family's financials and ask them to write me a letter saying they have set aside $5,000 for my visit to the US and deposited it to my bank account and are fully supporting/sponsoring me in case of any emergency, would that work? I can't think of anything else. What else can I do?

In general, is it difficult to get a B2 visa? Can my 6.5 year long stay in the US help in any significant way?
Can you please comment on my chances of getting a B2 visa? I'm totally clueless on how difficult these visas are.

 

[Triple Citizen]

This is merely speculation but not being employed will work against you. Consuls look for strong social and financial ties. Yes, you collect rent on an apartment you own, but that can be done by someone else while you overstay in the US. This is how the consul *may* think.
Do apply for a visit visa but be prepared for the worst case scenario. Best of luck.

Can you please comment on my chances of getting a B2 visa? I'm totally clueless on how difficult these visas are.

 

[gaussian]

I got my visa!

For everyone's info, I HAVE received my (10 year) tourist visa!

I didn't have to provide any documentation (no bank statement, no nothing!) I believe the fact that I lived in the US for 6.5 years as a student and then a worker under OPT/STEM in a consulting company has helped immensely. The interview took less than 5 minutes. I told the interviewer I am currently not working, but I am applying for graduate schools in the US, and the purpose of my trip is to visit the schools I am applying for. He then asked me which schools I am applying for (it turned out he graduated from one of them). We had a small talk about the city the school is located in, and then, suddenly, he threw at me the "Your visa has been approved!" flyer with a big smile, and said "Have a good trip!"

He didn't ask me about my ties to my home country, documentation of my non-immigrant intent, documentation of my undergraduate study and employment in the US, or my ability to pay for the costs of this trip. I was shocked to not provide any documentation! I asked the interviewer "Is that it? Can I go?" He said, "Yes!"

You were right, though, that not being employed seemed to work against me. The first question was where I was currently working, and when I said, I am not currently working, he started typing something on his computer. But the second question was whether or not I had ever been to the US before, and it all went swimmingly after that.