I would label your project as gambling, not investing.  

Things break, even the best tenants have issues and there are many uncontrollable costs that come with owning a rental property.

But I've come to know Marcus and will gamble he won't mind, and this story lends itself to how hard it is to vet a person you might want to hire.

To me, it is speculation or gambling.

You will tend to find that, absent oil or gambling money, states with higher income taxes end up with lower property taxes, and states with lower income taxes end up with higher property taxes. 

Some owners instead of gambling on the premium  that’s possible with individual leases just lease out the whole 4 bedroom unit at a slight price break. 

Riff Raff, whiskey, gambling, prostitutes, con artists, and other shady characters run gamut when the refinery is doing major work.

There are investors that gamble on transition areas.

@Briyana Hawkins Buying with the hope that an area appreciates is always a gamble. 

But then again, I may take risks, but I never gamble against the house.