I'm in my data gathering/learning stage and yet to do a deal (except the three homes I've owned and a few business deal/leases.) In any event I'm talking to people in my local market and those in real estate (agents mostly) are so pessimistic it's incredible. You would think they would say "I will be happy to help you on your journey." Instead what I keep hearing is, "This market is too tough," "problem is you have to hold too long to make money," "Forget it, put money in stocks," "No deals out there, they're all taken."

I like a challenge so tend to brush these comments off, but it's a little discouraging when folks in the business are down on REI. I am hoping what I'm reading between the lines is that some agents aren't very good at real estate investing, just like my son's soccer coach was a horrible soccer player (I played with him in high school.) Anyone else find more pessimism than optimism out there? Except on these boards, this place is a "virtual cornucopia of positivism" : )