Mike the plan was never to develop a large real estate business the plan is to own a couple nearby rentals with smallest mortgages and low expenses therefore yielding as much + cash flow as possible..Therefore my work pension + investments + real estate cash flow will provide a good retirement monthly income...To be honest I have a pretty kick back stress free R.N job that pays a little over 6 figures with full medical benefits for me and my family not to mention life time medical insurance for me and my spouse when I reach 25 years of service.

IF you do it right, and barring any medical bills!

I had $47k of student loan debt from a pretty worthless MBA, $13k credit card debt due to car repairs, medical expenses from a car wreck, basically my life was a mess.

I know a 20 point range isn't really sticking my neck out there, but our market could easily go in any direction considering all of the government intervention both state (foreclosure rules) and nationally(debt forgiveness).

The only collections you might choose to ignore are for medical procedures and maybe student loans.

Amusement parks, Major sports teams, Cultural events, etc.World class universities and medical careTransportation hub serviced by every major airlineLowest crime rates in the countryAll of those things help properties maintain value, and keep the demand for real estate strong.

There may be a back story (fight, medical issue, silly accident, etc.) but the black eye would only be part of the story.

When I find somewhere I really like I'll spend a few months at a time there volunteering my medical skills to the underserved.

Would the new house be as/more/less convenient to work, shopping, medical, and other services?

Those who have to give up their jobs due to medical conditions may also be exempt from capital gains tax.