Equity means very little to me, but I will have some as I'm buying under market. 10 years is a long time, I don't forsee that area becoming deserted or a warzone, but honestly who knows what the local market or banks will be like. 

We are not just a desert and the Las Vegas Strip. 

We have some properties round military bases up here in the high desert in Southern California, we give active military half off of their 1st month. 

Even here in the high desert, the prices are expensive and there isn't much cashflow, especially after considering expenses, taxes, and property management.

They might get down like that in Yuma, Needles and Bryon (read desert)  Google / Facebook / IPO millionaires are to close and after the IPO they need a place to park their money, so carries are not a thing like they are in "fly over country"  Look here for people that solo 401k / Solo IRA loans that might keep it in their portfolio as they usually have more flexibility in how they underwrite their opportunities. 

Low-maintenance, well maintained desert landscape. 

Dev,Yes there are a lot of regulations in Palm Springs and neighboring Palm Desert.

Your uncle may be right about the 27 acres for $3k in AZ claim, but numbers like that are typically seen way out in the desert, miles from the nearest town (Holbrook, Kingman, St.

I'm particularly wondering about San Bernardino, High Desert area, Riverside, N.

Maybe out in the high desert area or Joshua tree area would work?