Many have chosen to use them for family businesses.Tom C.

Especially if you're getting help to do it.That said if you don't plan to use your degree in the relevant field going into debt to do so seems like an unnecessary gamble. 

What sort of list have you chosen to mail to?

Trading the big banks is just gambling on headlines at this point.

If you were a seasoned investors and knew all the risks you might encounter, that is a gamble you might want to take. 

You can still name only large properties on the first list and gamble that the other property will close within the 180 day window of the first sale so you can use both in the purchase.  

I took a gamble and lost haha.

Much like in the stock market trying to “time” the market is simply a gamble unless you have a crystal ball.

There are no natural disasters. there are two major universities, there's a good amount of things to do, taxes are low (I see newer houses with lower taxes than some 100 year old midwest homes), the area is easy to get to, and the laws here are pretty friendly to investment as the government has taken the gamble of giving major tax breaks to corporations and this in turn has helped fuel the job market.As for the rental stock, the seasonal snowbirds seem to have enough money to either do long STR's or own second homes here.

It is a gamble.