oh well ya using a Heloc and being 100% levered on a real estate purchase is a huge gamble in many makrets.

There isn't even a forum for discussing marketing to generate motivated seller leads anymore which is at the core of all real estate investment, nothing happens and nothing matters if there's no motivated seller.Paying retail, getting bank financing, and renting out at a loss isn't real estate investing it's idiotic speculation at best and out right gambling at worst.I do wonder where all the real investors went.

They run an illegal gambling ring in one of the company's commercial buildings.

People viewed it as gambling.  

Because they are gambling.11. 

They take gambles if things come in better, worse or on par with expectations.

.: Quote from @JD Martin: Quote from @David Pike: If you invested $100k and then put $19k in for the capital call, you would potentially get your capital call back ($19K) plus 25% of the $100k so $25k.So you're looking at either a $75k loss if you gamble the $19k, a $100k loss if you don't participate and are wiped out, or a $119k loss if you participate but are still wiped out.

A gamble on gambles of volatility moving certain ways in certain time windows..... 

I have immersed myself in reading, podcasts, etc for investing and have been exposed to real estate most of my career so analyzing a deal doesnt scare me (even though I know there is a tremendous amount to learn in this specific arena).Any advice on how to narrow down on the markets?  

The only down side to being older, in my opinion (other than physical limitations mentioned) is not wanting to gamble on having to start over by making mistakes due to ignorance of laws or a market or being taken advantage of by a bad PM.