Your post just reinforces it, really.

Having said that, I would place more of the blame on the real estate market self-reinforcing the current environment where property values increased and banks were willing to lend on higher values which led people suddenly being able to access more money which in turn led to more money being spent on buying real estate.

If you are in the Navy, it means turn off the lights, lock the door, close up and shop and head to the club for a beer.If you are in the Marines, it means storm the building, kill everybody inside and hold for reinforcements to arrive.If you are in the Army, it means put a 24 hour guard on it, and don't let anybody access without proper authorization.If you are in the Air Force, it means get a 5 year lease on the building, with an option to buy.Just messing with you.  

Like I said hoping maybe I just hear something new or said differently that inspires me, even if it is the same old it will just continue to help reinforce those concepts and keep me focused on what I'll do once I'm free to do what I want. 

I had an engineer look at it and although the conclusion was the building is structurally sound, the city wants me to address the engineer's suggestions including some foundation and structural reinforcements and exterior work.  

Probably not that much.Neither you nor I have a crystal ball to see where the economy is headed and what will cause the next downturn, but I'd be willing to bet that when it does happen, the self reinforcing cycle of job lose you mentioned will happen, because the financial market is made up of humans who make sub optimal decisions with incomplete information. 

There are a few things on our tasks list that we want to have checked out before we rent it out and need some referrals on dependable masons  such as an electrician, plumber, heating and cooling, and fix a retaining wall and reinforce a metal fence.  

This meant we could only reinforce the slab, but not level the foundation completely. 

@Patrick GerrityI would reinforce what Dmitriy has stated above. 

Some other ideas that I read that reinforce your comments are, that they are GETTING a divorce, they don't HAVE a divorce, so right now their problem is not my problem.