There is a good chance of appreciation in the next couple of years although of course we can't tell for sure so it's still an educated gamble.  

It is very very important to get that acknowledgement, so you know your offer is not sitting in their spam folders.

We like the small layer of extra privacy while advertising and we like not having to track all the spam we get on these accounts after removing the add from the internet.  

Yes, or you might as well just gamble your money on the stock market.

*shrug* You can certainly make a spam email account and get added to a mailing list or two, and supplement your redfin lurking with seeing if anything arriving at that email address is a good fit.Often there are extra hoops you will encounter.

I know there are rules about solicitation and spamming on BP so I definitely want to respect those guidelines.

A technically build-able in CA is still an expensive gamble.

A good quality structure built by a Master Builder will stand the test of time, vs. a scrap of paper, or an entry in a data base, based on how much the next person will pay for it.You can add value to structure and collect rents even in the bad times.Where people run into trouble is when they borrow too heavily, and the bank takes the "Still Valuable" asset from them.With a stock, it's a roulette wheel gamble, as to how much it will be worth at any given time. 

You are basically gambling your business on a stranger.

Gambling with someone else's mortgage is not something to mess around with.