but they crashed and burn these past several years)By the way, I own Apple (AAPL), Visa (V), Discover (DFS), Vodafone (VOD), Chevron (CVX) among other rock solid stocks in my 401K but I would sell them in a heart beat if I found a great real estate deal.I believe in diversification for sure - Texas, Indiana, Tennessee, California....are those diversified enough for you?

I really hate to generalize and would not use the word hate at all.Bottom line is the bad apples spoil the reputation for the good people.

Flipping houses, where you buy a property, renovate it, and sell it for a higher price, is an example of a short-term strategy.Both long-term and short-term strategies have their advantages and risks.Long-term strategies offer stability and the potential for steady income, while short-term strategies can provide quick profits but may involve higher risks and more work.The key is to choose the strategy that aligns with your goals and risk tolerance as a real estate investor.5.2 Portfolio DiversificationWhen you hear the word "portfolio," you might think of an artist's collection of paintings.But in the world of finance and investing, a portfolio is a collection of different investments you own, like stocks, bonds, or real estate properties.Diversification is like having a variety of colors in your art palette.Imagine you have a basket of apples.

Not really apples to apples with a 10x magnification to me.I do measure my ROI against the S&P, though.  

The economy is very very heavy ag dependent (apples, hops, grapes, etc) w/a smattering of some smaller industries represented in the valley.

Well it is kind of like comparing apples to oranges.

Yes, but it's an apple or oranges comparison.

For example:Let's say that a barrel holds 90 good apples, and 10 bad apples.  

If the goal is a lower monthly payment, IO may be a slight change in payment compared to doing a standard DSCR.

There are a few bad apples, but that to be expected.