The sparkling lights of the Bay Bridge and the City from my deck, the all year outdoor weather, gorgeous hiking trails and parks 2 miles from my front door, world class theater, concerts and events a short BART ride away, and some of the smartest people in the world all around me.

Don't care for Detroit's weather but like their prices compared to what renters are paying.

If that gets old or you want to do some of that but not FT and develop some passive holdings, diversify in other solid recession resistant niches like apartments, self storage, etc. that can build current income and offer appreciation over time you could also look at syndication deals in markets you like / should be looking at but don't have the time or energy to self manage or purchase on your own due to larger upfront investments.  

They also have less resistance to market change, see PHX, many other regions that blew up from 2020-2022 and have cooled off significantly since.

It’s like confusing the weather and the climate.I do enjoy these kind of discussions, but it’s hard to do it texting back-and-forth like this really opportunity to chat if you’re around this coming week.

My reason for believing in REI is because it is the only inflation-resistant investment - specifically self-storage.

Very similar weather to you. 

If they resist your request, that should be a red flag as well. 

well for some it works.. just check your state regs  foreclosure or not.. check your own personal capital position. if the note gets called what happens how will you cure... what happens if you lease the property out and the tenant squats and does 10k in damage can you fix it while still making the payments.. the nice thing about those buying rentals is the put skin in the game and their fico is at risk.. and because of that they make sure they have the reserves to weather the bad days .... so again I am not saying unilaterally this is bad.. but its not a great NO money down I have no reserves and the guru is telling me how to build a rental portfolio with no money and no credit.. your risking someone elses credit.. there are moral issues here.

Good jobs, good schools, pretty good weather.