The things that make sense will last long term and that is the difference.Most of the rest of the United States except for a few hot spots is in the crapper still in recovery mode and will be for years.The real rate of unemployment is still in the high teens when you factor in all the data.Some of my tenants have had to pick up a second job and get charities to help them out to pay the full rent.Some jobs out there but hundreds applying for a few positions.We are recovering but it is a slow,long,grind.So I think Washington is a bubble and is not relative to the United States as a whole.

I donate to Church and charity.

I might go there if I had the support and like Rich, I'd send the profits to a charity, I don't need another business venture, besides, I think it would really look hypocritical of me to shoot at gurus and then sell something.

I work with Catholic Charities to find tenants in their refugee placement program along with the state dept.The trips I make to Dayton are to strengthen relationships with the people I already know and to make new ones.

Underwriters will gladly approve loans that leave you zero each month to: contribute to church/charity, enjoy a stress-free life, take a vacation, etc., you get the point.Make sure you have your backup plan in place to bail you out if the hoped-for higher income doesn't materialize, and your monthly expenses begin to exceed your income (such as selling a vehicle that has a payment on it, maintaining liquid reserves, etc.).Sorry, not trying to lecture, but living without financial anxiety is priceless.

You can call a trash person or charity to clear rooms of furniture and clothes for free.

I also aspire to one day start a charity in support of Parkinson's disease on behalf of my late Grandfather. 

You could even set up a volunteer piece with your current clients and ask them if they want to volunteer at the food bank and that a portion of your commission benefits the charity.

In the mean-time, there are charity groups who have plans such as building shelters out of old cargo containers, or building little "micro-houses", at costs that are a small fraction of that.

I'm actually amazed at how many of them are now great tenants, and it's cool that they didn't need to be kicked out of their homes (I don't mean to make it sound like it's a charity - I definitely get good terms on these deals).