MIDWEST may work much better for you with less risk, just again do not go to areas which dropped 60-80% during last crash.

However I rode through the crash (unfortunately was not in a great position to take advantage).  

Wao, Love it, thanks for the reality check @Christopher Phillips every day I spend on this site is like a crash course, all of you are awesome.

A lot of people tell me to go to crash courses that last 6 months, other tell me to buy books to study from, others tell me to buy online programs to study from.

Having a degree can be a huge benefit if the market crashes and you need a Plan B.

Most of the foreclosures have happened there because unsuspecting and uneducated buyers purchased at the top of the market prior to the 07 crash.

I thought a HELOC would be easiest because I have tons of equity in my home - we bought at the bottom of the crash ITP - Grant Park.

No inverse relationship there.From 2008 to 2011, gold went into parabolic bubble territory while real estate crashed hard.From 2012 to present, real estate has recovered from the crash, while gold has crashed hard from its bubble.If you study all of these time frames, RE and gold are not positively or negatively correlated. 

Not one economist predicted the crash of 2008.Plan for the worst scenario and take advantage of any opportunity that comes along the way.Buy below value, rehab to increase value and hold in the current market.Praveen

I went to work for the property management company I hired to manage my condo - Vacasa - so I've had a crash course on all things real estate this year.