Add patience to the mix and you could be heading places.

Since I originally posted, my husband got a promotion here in Tucson, my father just died in Iowa leaving me two run-down (but i think could be cute) houses, and I have a condo that needs a total make-over and sale in Vermont, so I don't think I'll be headed there anytime too soon!

I would really like to get insight into the local market so I can feel confident about choosing a good deal, its kind of pricey here, and I keep reading that we may be headed for a downtrend in the markets.I have volunteered twice to work with Habitat for Humanity to get some hands on with construction, but most of the skilled labor is left to the professionals.

That house could either be headed up or be losing value over the next 12 months.

Our oldest will be headed to college in Tampa in the fall and we are considering buying a rental property that she and roommates can live in the next year and that we could hang on to for future renters and vacations for us. 

It looks like I'm actually going to be heading up the first half of the day Sunday, and based off everyone's comments will first focus on the Oak Park area and drive around to understand the boundaries that @Wes Blackwell, @Frank Lienert, @Joe Bertolino, and @Derek Daun were discussing.

Loosing guidelines with lending laws is what got us into trouble back in 2008-2009, and yet it appears we could be headed there again.Being a CA real estate Broker and looking at investing OOS for long term buy/hold properties (Small multi-family communities up to 15 units and/or possibly SFRs) for positive cash flow, I don't feel certain markets where I'm looking to invest (Ohio, Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Tennessee) will be as impacted when the SHIFT and DOWNSWING hits, as it will in BOOM/BUST states like CA, NV, AZ and FL.

@Christy Harris Gotcha - I don't think I will be heading in the full-time direction, so it would be great to hear what your experience as a part-time agent has been?

We are working out details of him notifying me when he runs across a property that he thinks might be headed for trouble.

The U.S. housing market — particularly in cutthroat areas like Seattle, Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas — appears to be headed for the broadest slowdown in years.