The down-town centers are all but decimated.

Waiting for rates to drop means you'll be paying more in the future.The only way (that I see) prices dropping considerably is in a bigger economic crash that decimates demand across the Portland area.

well its 250-350 X .035 (3.5% down payment in decimal format) = 8750-12,250 down payment + closing costs (probably 6-8k roughly).If you go even leaner you get a DPA (down payment assistance) program and that absorbs/covers/offsets your 3.5% down payment then you bring in the remainder of the down payment or just the closing costs.If you go even leaner, you get the seller to cover your closing costs and then some becuase FHA is a program where you can receive up to a maximum seller concession of 6% so 6% or 350,000 is well over 20G's of closing (potential, your market may vary).

They will first decimate the discount brokerage industry. 

Decimating HUD by terminating half the employees there like he says he's going to do will also have a big negative effect on the real estate market.

CA state median property tax of 1.21%  For San Francisco it's 1.178% (rounded up all those decimals), San Jose 1.46%.

Hiring out would decimate my cash flow on a long term rental and I don’t have the time to run a hospitality business.

Certainly not the return we hoped for or planned for, but also certainly not a loss.The student housing industry, which you invested in, was decimated by COVID.

So basically I got 2.9% return.Hi Ken,I think your math is off by a decimal place

2023-2024 DECIMATED my already broken finances and killed my 15 yr run being debt free with paid off rentals and a house near the beach in the Ca.