I think the bottom line is that he played fast and loose with our money.

They are great as appreciation plays but that's not what most investors are looking for.C/C+ is where you're going to cash flow...

If you’re looking to build long term wealth, accumulate assets, take advantage of tax code, and benefit from appreciation, then play the appreciation long game.

You’ll learn way more hands on than spending money and another 6 months being led on by someone who is playing you.

These are set it an forget it plays. 7.

Many contractors get burned by property owners and getting paid through the lien process is no fun at all.Another thing to think about with GC’s asking for a large deposit is their ability to be in it for the long haul and to potentially handle multiple projects simultaneously.

There is not a lot of data for MTR comps so I look on FF to see how many MTRs are in my area and what the rate is, and I play around with AirBnb to see what  a monthly stay would cost.

And the reason why your "tale of two halves" will play out as you described.Demand:  This has actually been high almost all along, but rent growth hasn't materialized in response due to high levels of new supply. 

These are big money plays life changing profits but RISK you bet..

Honestly, the first question that you and your wife need to ask yourself is whether this is primarily an investment or primarily a house for fun.