The benefactors, Land and Real Estate Owners and naturally the small business owner everyone needs around.So what needs to be done to close this funding gap?

If it is a desirable property, sometimes it may even sell at a premium due to the exclusive nature of it being a pocket listing.  

The company is very entrepreneurial in nature which has led me to be exposed to a wide variety of assets and investment strategies.I've loved real estate from my first intro class with the great Dr. 

I don't have a good sense of how good or bad that return is in this market where so much revolves around appreciation -- I'm very curious to find out what other investors around here think.Of course if real estate keeps appreciating the way it has recently, everything is great; BUT even though I'm bullish on the Bay Area longs term (weather, universities, jobs, natural barriers to sprawl, etc.)

Conversely, even if you only own 1 property, you're not likely to lose it if it's paid for in cash.For the other topic, there is natural diversification that happens in real estate that is not available in stocks.  

Like most of us, I stumbled into real estate investing by nature of life.

My hypothesis is a process like this occurs, (this is likely too simple though to be predictive):Population Growth (Natural) ---> GDP Growth ---> Job Creation ---> Domestic Migration ---> Increased Personal Income ---> High Property Prices (assuming constant supply)Macroeconomic Demand Factors (individually or in specific combination):Increasing populationPositive net migrationIncreasing GDPIncreasing total jobsIncreasing Personal Income/CapitaIncreasing average earnings/jobIndustry DiversityFavoured IndustriesMicroeconomic Demand Factors:SchoolsCrimeWalkabilityChanging demographics/area reputationetcI look forward to your comments.Regards,Jacob

My goals are long term in nature and when I have completed this phase of investing I would have a million plus dollar portfolio that will be throwing off an income stream that will cushion my retirement.  

hi thereI own two multi family's in Connecticut and they are both natural gas/hot water furnaces.  

While it is true and accurate that a "deposit" is by nature generally intended to be refundable, in the case where an agreement specifically indicates that a deposit in its entirety or a portion of a deposit is not refundable and it is agreed to by the parties as indicated by signature of the parties, then  as it relates to that portion so specified, or, the entirety of the deposit so indicated as non-refundable, it is not a refundable deposit.