Oh, that's right, except the other mishaps with no warning:Panic of early 1900'sGreat Depression (few decades later)Oil speculation in 70'sSavings and Loan '80'sTech company failures 90's[pulled from larouchepub.com]"the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped 1,677 points (18%) in 11 trading days, falling below the level it hit in the aftermath of Sept. 11"ANDa complete surprise and "panic" which no rational human being saw coming....

But it was fun assessing all the issues & we got to meet a lot of county/town b'crats & building code enforcement staff.In retrospect the best place to invest in one would be the oil/gas fields in the Dakota's where you would quickly recover the initial outlay & vacancy rates would be minimal.

It's an oil rich country and the haves vs. the have-nots is very wide.

You were offered retail pricing, and the rent numbers were cooked - I'd redirect the super-secret hookup to your spam folder - they're wasting your time.

Curious on what the broker thinks of r/e overall, rates and reits and ...oil stocks.  

@Jarrod Cook- thanks for a fair response.  

The decline in the price of oil and the political culture will be anchors for years to come.

Frank's list is solid, just a few to add...Cook County Court Case Lookup: http://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/?

Foreclosure property in C class neighborhoodBank is asking $45000Rental value is around $700/monthI'm approved with my credit union with 25% downPayment with escrow: (Tax and Insurance) will be around $300/month. vac rate should be 10%.The property is in great condition and shows well (remodeled 2 years ago) and is rent ready after minimal work: paint touch up and appliances (fridge, cooking range, washer dryer)Should I pull the trigger and go for it?

We typically steer away from properties that have oil heat (because we have one already that can sometimes be a nightmare if you don't have a very responsible tenant occupying the home).