There are too many things both your buyers and your lender have zero control over that could put the earnest money deposit at risk.

The RE portfolio in my opinion is safer and allows me to have more control.

I have lost friends that i consider family and have also seen what happens to the families when they lose the heads of the households when they did not have anything left for them.

I lost very little sleep during those first few months after I quit the "9-5".Best of wishesRob HayesEvergreen RE

SoCal is a funky REI market ... high stakes with millions to be made and lost ... mid west dudes think we're all insane speculators out here, but there are intelligent ways to invest (without speculation) and it is not necessarily the same strategies deployed in other markets that dominate discussions here on BP.

Well my worst fear just happen I have lost my HUD realtor that does all my HUD bidding for me. 

Depending on location, foreclosure time frame, market values, and condition of the property, you can often pick up NPN’s and control the underlying real estate at a steep discount.

I believe we lost around 60K each after 6 years, since we sold one for 360K and the other for 380K. 

You have very little control over these new residents who despite not being on the lease....are tenants because they lived there for 30-days and recieve mail there. 

For instance, the market is down like 7% this year +/- yet his portfolio is still even and has not lost money this year....very cool stuff.Regarding real estate, my suggestion is do not over-leverage when you buy.