You have zero control over the stock market, whereas when you do private lending, you have significantly higher control and contractually guaranteed return on your money.

That said, the construction is slowing, and I believe Huntsville’s population growth will make this a good investment over 10+ years.

Any changes in federal spending could influence the job market and, subsequently, the real estate market.4.

If you are self-employed with no full-time employees you may wish to consider opening a Solo 401k instead of a self-directed IRA as it has several advantages over an IRA LLC such as much higher contribution limits, direct checkbook control (i.e. no need to have the account at a speciality trust company), ability to take a 401k loan, exclusion from unrelated debt finance income tax with respect to investment in real estate acquired with non-recourse financing, etc.Can I contribute to both a Solo 401k and SDIRA?

Stop hanging out with your deadbeat buddies who spend all day drinking, talking sports, and otherwise wasting away.

I'm going off the understanding that you still need to spend 500+ hours in the business to achieve material participation (please correct me if I'm wrong). 

You can find his YouTube channel at:facebook.com/platinumresortassistedliving He is all over this subject and he is in Georgetown, TX.

It is a great little city and overall I think it is a good place to live.  

So - somewhere 2 hours away, or somewhere you like to vacation in, or where all your family lives, or where you plan to move someday.Too many people are trying to do exactly what you're doing - pick a market based on a formula - and they end up buying a random 'cheap' property thousands of miles away, turn it over to people they've never met or even spoken to, and then... lose money.  

Let me know if you have anything in the range of $1 mil- 2.5 mil over 10 + units