Its decor includes a 27-foot Asian dragon made from 90,000 Swarovski crystals and artwork by Colombian artist Fernando Botero.

You're probably not going to end up with any cashflow, but if all the bills can be paid and you can live in one unit for under $500/month, you've likely shaved at least $1,000 off your monthly payment by renting out the other units, and can use that $1,000 in savings every month to save for the next property or make improvements to the current property and increase it's value and get more rents.The real problem with this projection is that no one has a real estate crystal ball, and far too much can happen with the economy and politics in the next 2-3 years to be able to accurately tell you what the experience will be like in Phoenix.A real easy way to experiment with this would be to look up 2-4 unit multifamily properties on Realtor.com or MLS, see what the units are renting for, deduct one of the unit's rents for you to live in, and then use a simple loan calculator to see what your monthly PITI would be vs. the gross rents.

I tell alot of folks not to bank on market appreciation because you have no control or crystal ball. 

It will pay off for you in the long run.I have NO crystal ball, but I cannot believe that the int rates will continue to rise, the global economy is not that strong and if the dollar rises too far, it could cause economies overseas (to fail) and this will rattle the markets and people do not buy, anything, when they are nervous.

I had a dream, which was not all a dream.The bright sun was extinguished, and the starsDid wander darkling in the eternal space,Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earthSwung blind and blackening in the moonless air;Morn came and went—and came, and brought no day,And men forgot their passions in the dreadOf this their desolation; and all heartsWere chilled into a selfish prayer for light:And they did live by watchfires—and the thrones,The palaces of crowned kings—the huts,The habitations of all things which dwell,Were burnt for beacons; cities were consumed,And men were gathered round their blazing homesTo look once more into each other's face...

The truth is, nobody has a crystal ball, and any answers you get are going to be guesses.

Unless of course anyone on here has a crystal ball I can borrow ;) 

What does your crystal ball say about us renting vs purchasing a single family residence during that time with the obvious intention of turning any purchase into an investment rental once we return to Oregon.  

Unfortunately you are never going to get a crystal ball as far as exact data to run your analysis.   

If you can't see what I mean let me make it crystal clear.