After overcoming the huge obstacle that cross border investing has in terms of being double taxed, I've had a great experience virtually investing in US real estate. 

Maybe BP could somehow change the color of the frame around that type of post as an alert; we typically see a blue border for all posts, but if we made these shill posts RED bordered, then that would make people take notice.I agree with Charles that these are usually detectable by those of us who know how to spot them, but to the less experienced, they might not seem as suspicious.

As an investor buying at these prices and taking a negative cash flow loss each month and praying for appreciation is not investing its gambling.  

No risk would be keeping the money in your pocket and walking away because gambling is a pretty bad idea in the first place (I work in casinos, so don't tell my boss I said that). 

If the market isn't right for selling, hold onto it and keep collecting checks until it recovers.If you buy for appreciation, it's a true gamble.

I'm just south of you on the Plainfield/Joliet border. 

Maybe Seattle will appreciate more, maybe it'll slow down or even go backwards for awhile, but if you're not cash flowing in the meantime it sounds like that's a gamble that's more trouble than it's likely worth.

Any cross streets / borders etc? 

Used cars are always a gamble unless you are a good mechanic or know one. 

SoCal)  Getting into a deal with the hope of appreciation to make the deal work is basically gambling, and I don't like to gamble.