Ford: Towing a trailer, trailer tow package, ford f150

Question
Hi,

I have a very small side business where I gut and renovate houses. I currently have a beat up 89 Ford F150. The load rating is 1/2 ton, and we regularly double or triple that, which of course has nearly destroyed the truck.

That truck is nearly dead, and I hope to buy a newer vehicle. I can't really afford an F350 or better. In an attempt to save some money, I'm hoping to buy an F150 and a trailer. Although the trucks can only carry 1/2 ton, they can tow much, much more. (Which we don't really do that often anyway...)

Can you advise as to whether this makes any sense? And better yet, can you tell me what I need to look for insofar as trailers are concerned? I don't know anything about trailers. I imagine all braking, etc., is still conducted by the truck, but I just don't even know where to begin -

Thanks,

Answer
Dave,
A new F150 truck with a 5.4 Liter V8, Automatic transmission, trailer tow package, and a 3.73 limited slip rear axle will tow up to 9900 pounds. This includes the weight of the trailer, cargo in the bed, and the load on the trailer.
I don't really know much about trailers.
John