However, from the sideline view, they are working 90, 100 or so hours with huge risks while the original investor makes deposits.It is my opinion the real estate side is the best way to be in the restaurant business.

Private capital is having a hard time engaging in the game and much of it is still on the side lines because the big six banks, who hold the majority of the NPN's and REO's have the cheapest money on the planet.

Those people can attest that the opportunity cost of sitting on the sidelines has been costly.Yes, there are still deals to be had, keep doing your research, be consistent and try to get in the game with a deal that meets YOUR desired risk/return criteria, while diligently protecting the downside through adequate cash reserves, conservative underwriting and the ability to hold long term. 

That's an entirely different story, but I'd like to get my feet wet in real estate because I've been watching it from the sidelines for what seems to be my entire life. 

I inured my forearm flexor in my throwing arm and was sidelined for the rest of the year.

Message is a litter unclear.Either way, the worst thing you can do is just sit on the sideline and never get involved.

Bill as you like to say that you were an FDIC examiner whom I am happy for you, but I have not looked at your resume in order to determine if you should be speaking about lending or financing, or if you should just read the posting and sit on the side line.

I wanted to pose a question to fellow investors who are veterans of the market crash of 2008 or Asian economic crisis, and other economic crashes in the last 20 years.For those of you who are have experience with these crashes and are still investing in real estate, are there any tools, data sets or charts you're using to determine when is a good time to exit the market and sit on the sidelines with cash?

Hopefully, that 11% loss will translate into more money on the sidelines to invest in our real-estate deals.

In other threads I mentioned why I am mostly sitting on the sidelines in the US.