Definition: Investments are instruments that allow us to receive a higher amount of money than was spent. Sounds simple right? When I first started buying property my best friend said to me “remember, buy low and sell high”.

Somehow in the current market we have lost sight of the simplicity of our goals. Both the real estate market and the stock market are shaky. The middle class seems to be caught in a game of musical chairs and every time the music stops we have LESS. As a result, we have a crisis of confidence. No one knows where to invest.

A few years ago when the economy was going strong I defined myself as an investor not a speculator. The difference is that my investments were made for the long term. I was willing to sit out any downturn the economy with the anticipation that there would be a payout in the end. I anticipated the cycle for real estate would be approximately 10 years.

Like everyone else, I have taken a 40 percent hit on my residential property 4 units and under. I have a duplex that is currently upside down in value. Fortunately, it is rented and does cash flow. My commercial real estate investments have held value better. I have actually seen an increase in value for my apartment buildings.

As an investor, I plan to keep polishing my nut and sticking to my plan. Even my upside down duplex gets paint, landscaping upgrades etc. When the market reaches an upturn, I have confidence that my properties will give me the return on investment that I anticipated.

Right now, I am open to finding my next great investment project. Interest rates are low and I like investing in apartment buildings. People will always need a place to live. It seems to be as good a time as any to “buy low” for the long term investor.