Use real estate to access low cost debt to increase my overall returns.Stocks are primarily index funds with additional exposure to the mega corporations (most notably Microsoft and google)Buy local real estate (within 15 minutes of where I live).

2) Agent calls about fixer-uppers BEFORE they hit the market.Challenge will be getting them at the right price, w/o insulting the agent.If you have the time or funds to hire someone to do it for you, suggest you setup Constant Contact or similar program to send monthly reminders to agents about:1) Your repair services that save deals2) Post 1-3 success stories with quotes from agents you helped - because they all know each other3) That you are looking for fixer-uppers, with some loose buy-box parameters (don't be too restrictive or you won't get deal exposure)You can then add every agent you encounter.It will take 3-6 months, but will eventually snowball if you do good work.

Add value to them while getting exposure to development.

Both of these will have appropriate entry points but in my opinion they aren't now.I get the logic of not timing the market, but that's why you invest in other places so you are not  missing any overall market exposure and it remains you're outright view and these cities can be hedges. 

Company just claimed they were reducing their exposure in Fla.

Hi Ted,Commenting to bring exposure to your post, my friend.

@Anthony SwainI think that the proliferation of the Internet, quick exposure to information, AND the fact that people have adopted the name "house hack" is the only reason we talk about it today.

Since this will be my first loan, I want to limit my exposure while gaining experience.

If attorney reps a successor trustee, they want to protect that person in carrying out their fiduciary duties.That would usually include a bias towards seeing that an asset to be sold gets maximum market exposure. 

In one of my properties, a tenant is alleging a child tested for lead exposure.