And that’s a benefit in today’s world, where the ups and downs of the stock market make daily news.PLUS: For more information on alternative investments, which include venture capital, private equity, hedge funds, real estate investment trusts, commodities, precious metals, wine, art and coins, read this article.http://www.thestreet.com/story/13155301/1/7-common-alternative-investments-that-all-investors-should-know.html

I believe there's an art to landlording. 

@Mike Dymski For a beginner like me, it's easier to understand the science of the deal(numbers and figures), rather than the art of the deal.

I have 4 kids, so my walls have "decorative art centers" as we like to call the scribbles my kids inevitably put up for us to see.

Thank you,Art

This can be as much art as science, but the guiding principals are to compare like to like, within a short radius to the subject property, around the same size, same number of bedrooms, bathrooms, same type of property, similar condition, etc.

Worry about crime and limitations in increasing value.Question is, if it is easy to renovate with tenants there already and increase the rents, by few hundred, which can drive out old residents and turn around the apartment and reputation.Its probably looks like class C/D apartment in decent neighborhood, but just this block itself is out of place and kind of has run down look; even if I upgrade the apartments which may be 10-15k a door, plus some exterior upgrade, it still won't change so much the neighboring property which has some open parking lot and is trashy and some art store which is trashy.Not sure where I'll go with this without experience, but just really wanting to invest because I see this has so much potential with being close to downtown and in middle of huge college expansion.

That is the art of Real Estate Investing and the power of the 1031.  

Always plan for the worst case" .....and its surely an art to plan for the worst case.When the offer I will make, is accepted by the seller......trust that i will share the journey every step of the way. 

It is the third largest MSA in PA (~650K residents, ~875K projected by 2040), 68th in the entire USA. 4.4% Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate in January (Decrease of 1 percent over the year), which is better than the total USA.Jobs and incomeJob growth was 0.9% over the year.Job growth in the past 5 years has been particularly high in Healthcare & Social Assistance (5,758 jobs or 12% growth) Transportation & Warehousing (4,567 jobs or 32% growth), and Arts, Entertainment & Recreation (3,877 jobs or 54% growth) according to the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC).