I am so glad you agree! What the whiners on this thread don't realize is that the wealthy got that way by seeing opportunity where others saw problems. Real estate has made many paupers into princes!
"Real estate has made many paupers into princes!"
And Princesses, LOL! Bought my first house at age 25. While I was in the Army I rented it out and also owned other rental properties which my Dad managed for me during periods when I was overseas.
My best investment ever was a grand old Victorian that I bought cheap and restored to her former period glory. Now THAT was a lot of work, but a lot of fun, too. Furnishing it with period pieces found at estate sales and Goodwill, and a mother that was a pro with a thread and needle for velvet curtains and tufted furniture helped, too.
I've had a lot of fun. Now DH & I have a 1906 Four Square Colonial farmhouse, but I'm not sinking a lot of money into the house aside from continually upgrading it for energy efficiency. The land is worth much more than this house, which will probably be razed anyway for a subdivision in the future.
One of the reasons I married my husband was that he was willing to re-roof my house in the 'burbs to ready it for sale before we married and bought a house together...and he had six brothers to help. :)
There's got to be a method to your madness when it comes to Real Estate, or people just think you're mad, LOL!