And as rates, economic sentiment, politics and seasonality shift in the 3 to 6 months to get market ready it can change by 20- 50k so a little bit of Crystal ball is needed.Best of luck.

A few general tips - look for markets with strong economic growth - job growth, population growth, network with other investors in your area and check which states they are investing in, for out-of-state investing - work with someone who has your best interests at heart and is also an investor who can easily plug you in with their network (GCs, lenders, PMs).

The economic benefits could extend to local communities, spurring growth and development across the region.

Are others playing the long game and hoping for appreciation or is there something I’m missing with the economics of North Jersey?

If you want appreciation, identify markets with expanding industries, positive growth trends, and bright economic forecasts.

I have an IT career, but like some others, I'm looking at economics these days and realizing that I need to make a change to get to where I want to be. 

I’m a 21-year-old college student majoring in physics and economics, I am the president of the Commercial Real Estate Club at my University, and am preparing to enter the investment banking industry after graduation.

Plus, in times of economic turbulence, many in this segment will be laid off.If you purchased a property with characteristics that match the Permanent segment, the average stay is over five years.

Cannot comment at all as I know nothing about this fund, but they must be experiencing greater than anticipated issues since last year they noted distributions will commence in Q3 of last year and they excel under the current economic conditions but if Jeff is correct, they are still in the red

If they did they would have better economic policies , create safe neighborhoods and investor/business friendly atmosphere, to make their citizens prosper and able to afford the houses they live in, instead of losing it to banks in foreclosures.