I graduated from pharmacy school a few years ago and I seriously do not know how I would be able to save up for a down payment on a house in Southern California.

My girlfriend works in a pharmacy so she get's in after 8pm a lot.

Now if you have 500k down you might as well buy a pharmacy such as Walgreens or CVS with 10% down.You get an all brick building sitting on 2 acres or so and it's usually a major corner location.

One of the first stores to be looted was a black-owned pharmacy.

Joel,  i appreciate your response my property is brand new construction of 8,500 sf . have leased 50% to a restaurant franchise and a epic pharmacy. i have done more marketing myself than my agent . i have 2 spaces vacant 1,800 sf and 2,200 sf . i have no problem if i get lower rent since i already make a positive cash flow now.the issue is my agent isn't producing . maybe smaller broker  firms are best for smaller projects.

I am currently in pharmacy school, and will be finished in May 2015.I started out in real estate by purchasing my own home with the help of my parents co-signing on my loan. in 2011, I had just started pharmacy school at Wayne State University in Mid-town Detroit, and I needed to find a place to stay closer to the school.

So, I thought I heard of the possibility of exchanging into a commercial property and leasing it out for 5-10 years ( to a WalGreens / CVS pharmacy ) and then live off the income stream and avoid capital gains taxes.So, is this possible ?

There is risk to the demographic areas they primarily go into so the banks won’t give you the same terms as a pharmacy or restaurant with a drive up.Cap rates are inversely related to lease term and quality of the tenant.  

The house is in a neighborhood where medical, nursing, pharmacy students rent.

There is a hospital and pharmacy etc.We do gangbuster business here.