The Stock Market is in shambles, the residential real estate market has not been this bad in my lifetime, and the commercial real estate market was doing well up until the credit crunch stopped development and acquisitions dead in the tracks.  Property values are down 40% and more from a few years ago.  What is a prudent investor going to do?  Buy!  In the next 18 months I believe we will see opportunities in the real estate market that are once in a lifetime opportunities.  But first let's examine what has happened in the past and what we need to look for going forward.