As with anything, some can be good investments and others can be terrible.

I'm leaving those in index funds, because even if I do terribly in real estate I still want to be able to retire and pay for my kids colleges.

I have seen some terrible offers and some strong.

Of course if this is in a war zone, drug zone or any other terrible zone, you would have to figure that in as well.

That is a terrible deal.

Also, in Memphis (with terrible public transit) most folks have & drive their own vehicles ... that can mean needing parking for each college age student living with them.  

This would be horrible logic and likely a terrible financial decision. 

The police/coroner had taken his body out before they called me.I feel just terrible to have to move on to practical matters right away but I called a company that cleans up death sites...

Am I a terrible person who's trying to exploit a loophole?

Your point is taken that its a seller's market, but the properties in question have been sitting on the market for a long time, and doesn't seem to be necessarily because of being terrible properties, but seems like due to unreasonable sellers.