I hated my restaurant business and desired financial freedom.

There are no good restaurants, no good shopping, I don't know, it just feels stagnant when I'm there.

When you can drive down the road and point out all the houses you've been in because you've toured SO many properties ... you know you're a real estate investor.When after a night out at a nice restaurant, before heading out to catch a movie, you stop at the local Home Depot to pick up materials for tomorrow's project ... you know you're a real estate investor.

Might have a restaurant in a development.Your tenant has to have the ability to capitalize improvements and repairs, in other words being a business entity.Usually maintenance expenses, taxes and insurance under a net lease are due and payable as the expense arises or becomes due, they aren't "escrowed" like taxes and insurance would be with a mortgage

Others on this forum can talk about the other strategies with national restaurants and big box stores.

If not, eating at cheaper, decent restaurants or even better, a great home cooked meal works out better and going to a 5 star restaurant.

., the smoking ban in restaurants). 

@Robert Blanchard Gifts are fun to give, especially when you can really personalize them (dinner at a favorite restaurant) or help someone out (get a dirty furnace cleaned).

You could live pretty comfortably in an area with access to nice parks, restaurants, and other amenities.

I live in Austin and this morning they were talking about East Riverside Dr/Lakeshore Dr and how a big tech company bought a few apartment complexes there to put up employees that work for them and they are locating there with an 80 million dollar investment so obviously, that area will go up in value as restaurants, pubs and local business will pop up as well.