All the best to you during your last semester.Househacking is one of the most common routes for new investors in NY.For best returns, I'd recommend focusing on South and Southeast Queens, Central and Southeast Brooklyn, and the Bronx.There are parts of the suburbs (Westchester and Long Island) that have househack opportunities but the property taxes are higher and the commute time to NYC is longer.Abel

I have an opportunity to do so in Southwestern Michigan (not Detroit)...90 minutes from Chicago and 5 minutes to the beaches of Lake Michigan.

Syndicated real estate offerings4.

You probably have a lot of friends or relatives with money to invest and an interest in real estate, but they have no clue what to do.

This works with any type of appreciating property such as real estate, stocks, etcDepending on the appreciation rate, you can potentially see asset values double every 7-14 years.Likely around 7 years if the appreciation rate is 8%Likely around 14 years if the appreciation rate is 4%If you buy something for $100,000 and it appreciates to $200,000, you can potentially take a loan on the $100,000 appreciation which would not be considered a taxable event.However, be mindful that you are paying interest on the loan and you have to payback the loan but yes, it would not add on to your taxable income.

Quote from @Shiloh Lundahl: @Jay Hinrichs so it sounds like you don't feel like you got punched in the face by real estate over the past couple of years. 

Distressed properties are real estate assets that are usually sold at a discount due to financial or physical distress.

Missed opportunities.

My issue is the opportunity cost of not getting appreciation, depreciation, debt retirement, etc. in real estate. 

Sometimes the question needs to be "When not if the real estate cycle impacts my property, do I have the skills to manage a downturn?"