Then you wonder with that kind of down payment, maybe it makes more sense to invest in real estate elswhere...Coming from a pure cash-flow investing environment like Japan, with very little to no capital growth (which is fine with me, I prefer high and reliable income), I still struggle to wrap my head around the fact that so many people will bet so much money on virtually unknown speculation moves with little to nil income until realisation can occur (if at all) 3, 7, 10 or 15 years down the track (or not) - particularly after the last few years of financial roller coaster...can anyone explain this rationale to me?

Keep in mind that Warren Buffett was offered to borrow money in Japan at 1% for 10 years but did not take it because he wanted the denominator to also be YEN.

We seem to be following Japans post credit bubble collapse that started there 20 years ago.

Japan has been caught in one going on twenty five years.

Originally posted by @Joel Owens: Japan, Australia, Canada, UAE are some of my clients.

To include on the severe inflation side massive governmental debts including up to $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities and the trillions on the balance sheet of the FED while it has been conducting the QE forever policy.On the other side- the dollar is the world's most dominant reserve currency and Japan has had as of now, no severe inflation even though it looks much worse on a debt to GDP percentage basis than the United States.In fact, there are many who will argue that deflation not inflation is the real worry.

I know you are on a boat near Japan right now but are you going to be living in Groveland when you get back?  

When I talk to contractors, agents or property managers and get asked where I live or my current address is, I cringe and reluctantly say I live in japan.

And they scaled them and if you were short we had to pay back if we went long we got more money.My main mill was Menasha the company out of WI.. they had a large export bizz on the Pacfic NW our logs went to Japan, China , Korea then what was left over went domestic..

Here in Japan we're blessed to have a tendency for longer term tenants so I can appreciate your wish to have same!