I'm starting to see most people seem to be playing the market in regards to appreciation, which in turn is essentially gambling in my eyes (although, some markets require it for a profitable outcome).

As has been mentioned above, the worst thing you can do in such a situation is go in being able to juggle loans (see Uncut Gems...good movie even for investors to check out) that ultimately can turn into gambling when you don't know if you're numbers are going to bear out and you're going to hit a profit that makes it worthwhile in the end.

You could attempt a lower amount ($200-225k) just off campus and try to get student rentals but might be a gamble.

Here is how my investments are broken down using approximate numbers.Real Estate= 60% reflected in equity positions (pays me to own it/dividends in the form of cash flow/appreciation)Physical Gold= 8% (hedge investment)Physical Silver= 16% (held as speculative asset with inherent redeemable value)Bitcoin + other Blockchain via coinbase= 8% (held as speculative asset-long term value unknown) I know some people will ask how I can be a precious metals bug and own Bitcoin.......The truth is that people much smarter than me have decided that it is a speculative asset class that is worth gambling on.

Now he's MIA, and we weren't all that thrilled with him anyhow for what it cost.

The appreciation play is never certain, but it is not a gamble on hope, it is based on extensive statistical analysis of future expansion developments and years of data tracking solid growth.  

I am holding my breath to see what happens in the world of gambling as the industry has taken a huge hit in the pocket book with the combination of the pandemic lock down and the recently now permissible sports betting.

I’m not thrilled about the pay structure as I will not be paid commission on any purchases or sales that I work on but I can get a small referral fee if I bring exclusive clients in that they wouldn’t have gotten without me.

Probably most of us got started that way - taking a massive gamble. 

My point is this, unless you do SERIOUSLY BULK mailing, it is like gambling... and... the house always wins.. and thus you lose.So in other words, the only people winning doing DMM are the DMM companies.