Average return adjusted for inflation is 7% per year, and the fund spins off dividends which you can reinvest in the immediate and eventually pull off as income.If you simply love the shine of real estate, consider long-distance investing.

We have nowhere near the build rate we did then, we have significantly more inflation coming down the pipeline which will artificially increase home values further and DFW is a growing market which will protect it to some degree from any financial downturn. 

I thought prices were inflated in 2018, but I purchase anyways.

I'd rather cash out and keep scaling up while hedging inflation and mitigating risk by ensuring the property will at least pay for itself.

Meanwhile it may be sitting in your bank account depreciating with inflation. 

My question for them is, other than long term appreciation/inflation, what is actually gained by doing that? 

Affordability, Inflation, Employment, and Education. 

(Non-inflation adjusted.) 

So far, a great hedge against inflation!

So far, a great hedge against inflation!