I still have about  $20K in savings (in stocks and indexes) and am continuing to save while I consider my options.

They likely also did not understand that ODC’s new business plan is still heavily dependent on significant rate cuts and rising rents; two things I believe are unlikely to occur. seems to me the play right now is to join in on the syndication that are raising this pref equity and jumping in front of the original investors.. maybe for you its like a stock market straddle play invest in the pref equity fund to offset your loss's you may incur in the original offering ( if in fact there will be any)..

In the ten-year period beginning with Q2 2014, the Downtown submarket has experienced the greatest introduction of new inventory, 3.3 million square feet, amounting to 20.5% of all new competitive stock added to the market.Asking and Effective RentDuring May, the metro's asking rent remained unchanged at $42.24.

I think investors by and large somehow get the impression that the stock market is really risky but Real estate never fails..

  $1000 at a time, buy 10 different real estate stocks with your first $10,000. 

I would put some of that in non synthetic ETFs and have it in the stock market.

Clearly, with leverage, it was a far better investment than stocks or bonds.

So I have to get creative about the down payment on a property because I don't have the 25% to put down on a property.I really like the idea of paying back the lender at an interest rate thats a little better than they would get investing in the stock market, etc. then paying back the lump sum when you refinance the property

The stock market has provided better returns than average RE if not using leverage.  

Even with the recent stock market chaos, there's some bright news for mortgage companies.