It's a trendy section and the area has plenty of potential, but Asbury Park as a whole still has its problems and could be a gamble. 

I don't mind an educated gamble on condition, adds a bit more excitement to it.

If the place is empty and you are willing to gamble, offer to send them the keys back with a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

But to me, this just feels like speculation and gambling.

Yes, I completely agree that relying on appreciation alone is usually not a good investment but more of a gamble. 

I expect to continue purchasing SFR in Indianapolis, but this weekend was considering the tangent of investing for appreciation.Let's assume that investing for appreciation is pure gambling, but the good news is that the dice are rigged.

. :)Most BP'ers will tell you not to try and play the appreciation game, because it's akin to "gambling."

However, the mistake I see a lot of investors make and one that I am trying to avoid is the mistake of confusing investing with gambling.

We could have hired someone else, but for one week we did not want to take that gamble on an unknown.

Bars, brothels and gambling sprung up around the railroad and we still see a more "colorful" environment in Ogden.