If not, then focus on stockpiling your cash while remedying the obstacle to your ability to qualify for a loan (reduce debt, credit score, etc) and/or find a partner to work with who also has cash or who can qualify for that loan.Fifth, just seek seller financing or take over someones payments to buy something.

Know one knows your financial condition or your investment ability better than you.I have never owned my residence.

Our current biggest hinderance to growth has been getting financing.

There will all ways be a few that have the vision, ability, and drive to make more money than the masses.

Since the tenants cooperativeness will greatly affect our ability to sell the place.

I plan on holding on to them, however I am concerned that any downward movement in the RE market would limit people's ability to sell and thereby increasing the amount of available rental properties.

While I'm not going to comment on their business models (they often make bad investments), they are extremely competitive because they have the ability to leverage large amounts of (borrowed) capital.Donald Trump is another good example.

If I believed the logic put forth by the Author of Aftershock or others like him that have been banging the same drum for years I would have missed many opportunities and be no where as near strong and have near the growth as I do at this point.

Matt Rothwell I've lived in the Raleigh/Durham area my whole life and have seen this area have off the charts growth in the past 15-20 years.

@Lisa Mauritis Most brokers are going to want to see your ability to perform as an investor to do that kind of work on a day to day basis.