With interest rates climbing gradually and the "potential" for a recession, the need for housing is still at an all-time high and people are choosing apartments for several reasons.

Even on a high interest rate environment  the market has been climbing.

In reference to the recent bubble burst as an anomaly and not the rule, you can still safely assume that real estate prices will continue to climb over time even though more modestly than in the past.

Home prices are steadily climbing around 4% or so YoY. 

I can see it happening as cases are climbing here like wildfire 

Also the brand new AC unit put in by the seller was stolen before tenant moved in - thieves climbed a 7 foot fence.

I know they did not start out to steal or do bad things but they started robbing Peter to Pay Paul and once you go down that slope pretty tough to climb up.. they ended up in massive trouble and the partnerships were all sold off with massive loss's.. but it was not a contrived scam..

My first tenants were paying ~1,600/month and current leases are climbing towards $3,000 a unit.

That would be an easier first climb.

Like when your wife asks which movie you want to go to tomorrow night and you remind her that you could go out to dinner or rock climbing or for drinks or to a play or to a game.