You would be gambling that rents and home prices will go up enough to make this a good deal. 

If you’re putting in offers without running your numbers you’re gambling.

Investment property is not really viable in the UK due to stamp duty and other policies that kind of punish those who own multiple homes, so we're looking in the US.

dont you love appreciation ( oh wait on BP its gambling and who in their right mind would invest for that :)  )

The people that are going to get crushed are people that buy assets that have negative cash flow and are speculating/gambling on appreciation.

That is speculation and gambling. 

I am a UK expat working in Russia and soon moving to Qatar as a high school teacher.

Basing everything on appreciation is speculation ie gambling.

To me it would only make sense to keep your current property if you believe there will be more price appreciation on this property than another one you could buy with more cash flow, but that's a gamble.

.- Cap gain rates increase is only for incomes over $1M- 1031 repeal is only for gains over $500kNo details on either of those thresholds are yet available, so we all have way more questions than answers.Preparing for something that may or may not happen and has no defined form is a gamble.