I'll read your posts slower and more carefully. :) Steve...."

But in some cases like in the winter months I try to be aggressive and sometimes drop the price 25/mo just to get them filled.For some of my 2 bedrooms, my direct competition has been the new apartment complexes with the pool and exercise room etc.

@Edward StephensHere's a mental exercise that I think definitely requires an Accountant's help + maybe a Mortgage Broker.

Just the exercise helps refine your forecasting skills, over time.Plus, revisit this EVERY year, in case you need to make decisions to sell or refinance.

This business isn't all rainbows and unicorns and should be approached with the caution and respect that you would exercise when handling a firearm.  

To get a realistic apples-to-apples comparison - and to see how very difficult this hindsight exercise is in real life - compare a 30 year stock basket to your RE example.

Consider setting a daily exercise & study schedule.Philanthropy: May I be so bold as to suggest that you have a responsibility to give back?

Overall, I believe everything will be in a much slower pace for 2015 for at least the first 6 months. 

I didn't think this exercise was going to actually result in my wanting to take next steps, so I thought I would post this here for some feedback.  

It is meant to be a simple mental exercise in evaluation of return, that is all.