Remember, the quickest and safest way to build wealth is having multiple different incomes from different sectors. 

There would even be better margin to account for property management to watch the properties if your children don't want to.To summarize, I don't think appreciation on your "war zone" properties will make you wealthy. 

Keep saving up your pennies for a down payment and read one non fiction book per week and you'll be very wealthy. 

The more disciplined you are now in figuring this out and taking action the more wealthy you will become.

In Charleston SC even where we were building new construction 500 to 2 million dollar homes and the 500s are in transition areas going from historic rough and tumble to wealthy millennials that are smart and want to own instead of rent..

Don't believe the myth that asset protection is just for the fabulously wealthy.

I guess it’s a culture thing

The duplex in Seattle thing, go for it.... but at some point, don't you need some cashflow for the $$ you're investing in these expensive markets.... unless you're already wealthy... but if that's the case, why are you investing?

So focusing on cashflow, IF IT IS GENUINE AND SUSTAINABLE, makes it almost impossible to go broke.However it is also almost impossible to get wealthy on it either so that's the problem. 

I've spent my entire working life, investing hours of my time making other people wealthy.