Presuming so, I believe we met briefly on your way out the door for your 2hr trek back to Blaine; bonus points for being such a road warrior.

Where is your exposure?

I could have done without the degree but it did get me a job with a fortune 500 company that turned into a pile of 90 hour weeks that got the bosses above me bonuses and me nothing but a paycheck really far below my contribution level, I started at lower management level and as duties changed or were added they never moved my pay grade up to where it was going and should be, and not even an acknowledgement of any kind  for me reversing a division that was headed south, not even a cup of coffee and thanks for the good job. 

I am an elevator mechanic and work in new construction all over California.My first exposure to BP was via the podcast which has been an extremely valuable resource.  

I have found that trying to hide from the issue presents far more exposure than simply facing it head on.  

Interest only financing eliminates a factor of equity building, (return on your investment) and that's not good.It concerns me that you mentioned appreciation twice and no matter where you buy, it should always be counted as a potential bonus. 

Market like a madman and while price can be a part of that strategy, exposure, incentives and product are important for quickly renting a property.People starting out are often scared of finding and selecting tenants which makes Section 8 sounds so easy.

Your best bet is probably investing it across several REITs (so you are diversified) and can still have exposure to real estate.Under no circumstance should you pay 18K to "become" a sophisticated investor (especially if you're only looking to invest 10K).

This is because he was an experienced investor and I wanted to learn from him, so it was more about the education than the money (and the money just becomes a bonus).In the end, it depends how risk-averse you are and how fast you want to grow.  

That way, anything above mediocre is a bonus!