Solar --- What you've done is both smart and lucky.... you have to be smart enough to make some luck!
Anyone that is buying properties NOW -- they're lucky that someone else took a big hit on it -- and you're SMART buying at these depressed prices! That building I just bought (I'm the bank only) for my brother in law -- cost $600K to build -- He bought for $335K -- how can that not be good for him long term??He's lucky I can bankroll it for him (6% interest), but HE is smart making the move.
The oldest saying in the Universe (thanks AL!) is BUY LOW, SELL HIGH.... it aint' rocket science!!
When we look at those long term charts of good stocks.... IF -- IF -- they continue on the historic path -- they SHOULD BE higher over time... as should real estate. My bet is - if you wait to see when they're going higher - you're already late. Sometimes it's just hard to take the plunge when things don't look so hot. The folks that do - they're the lucky ones! Or are they just being smart enough to create their own luck?