Investment property is a numbers decision, so the honest answer depends on whether a specific deal pencils, not on the calendar. For a rental, we run the rent against acquisition cost, cash down, and financing cost, then look at cash flow and realistic appreciation. Emotion can drive a primary residence; math drives a rental. In competitive, expensive markets, buying retail off the MLS at full price from an unmotivated seller rarely cash flows. The deals that work usually carry a discount, an ADU or renovation upside, or a much stronger rent-to-price ratio than coastal California offers. Jeb's family duplex in Indianapolis sits near the old 1% rule of thumb (monthly rent close to 1% of value), which tends to cash flow, while the same dollars in Lancaster or Bakersfield often need a large down payment just to break even. Off-market and distressed properties take more legwork, and that legwork is usually where the margin lives. Second homes are mostly a lifestyle purchase, so the real question is how much time you will actually spend there. Financing is less friendly than it once was: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac apply pricing adjustments on second homes, and short-term-rental rules vary by city, so portfolio and local banks are sometimes more competitive. Confirm current pricing before you assume the numbers work. Nobody can promise where prices or rents go, so buy for a long hold and let the numbers make the call.