Expanding my horizon a bit I was able to start now. 

The truth is that my investors have an investment time horizon that is much shorter than mine due to their age and are therefore seeking a maturity or a means to exit the investment vehicle. 

We were just recently awarded a large trade to date with HUD ($30 million in first liens), and we're seeing many more opportunities of that size on the horizon.

Your time horizon has a lot to do with the correct decision too.For long-term rentals I would not use any of the ARM products I have seen.

I have seen 8-10% return on these types of investment and they fit your time horizon (typically 1 year or less).

One last question to end on : What do you see on the five-year horizon for the Austin REI market -- i.e. small corrections to pricing trends, large pricing crises, or continued rise in value?

Also, does it warrant it at this time, or any specific time over the investment event horizon. 

I would rather my money was working for me all the time and not just some of the time and if that means I have to do some work to make that happen then so be it.This could be seen as flipping but the time horizon for each deal is different.

I've read a lot about having a three legged stool approach as a way to preserve and grow wealth involving a hedge fordeflation (depression, falling prices)inflation (status quo, slowly rising prices)uncertaintyIt would seem to me that we have two additional possibilities on our horizon due to our federal debt levels:stagflation (steady prices for extended time.  

Atlanta is on the upswing so definitely take advantage  of all the opportunity on the horizon.