Recessions can be tough, but they can also provide enormous opportunities. 

@Joe Splitrock Jobs do drive growth, but to only look at one factor and derive causality from it misses or ignores lots of other things happening in an enormously complex and interrelated system. 

It would be paid off now and have enormous cash flow.

About six times we've treated workers to a professional massage after they've helped us with an enormous project.Ongoing, we often take our construction/trades contractors out to lunch on days when they are working most of the day on one of our properties. 

Home values have gone up similarly enormous amounts.

The guy is worth hundreds of millions, so it's difficult not to take his opinion very seriously--it's making something I was very excited to get into feel like this enormous risk that I won't end up pursuing if I keep getting this lecturing about it.

Besides my earnest deposit I have other financial obligations to this deal, title search, appraisal, attorney and and enormous amount of time.

When I started looking into it, I realized it was a good way to make money without an enormous investment in time/money (college), which is what I have been looking for.We didn't end up purchasing a property but the broker has agreed to be my mentor, and I sit down with him occasionally and talk about the industry, what I've learned in class, and also just BS because he also happens to be an interesting dude in general.We also have an old family friend ("uncle" when I was growing up) who does REI in San Antonio through Lifestyles Unlimited.

Getting neighbors on your side is an enormous bonus!

Joe Splitrock, appreciate your first-hand experience because I was thinking it would be an enormous hassle to vacate this building and shift operations elsewhere.