35 Yrs Old Building a Rental Portfolio - Overcoming Doubt

[Lafontant Cherilus]

Had breakfast with a close friend of mine this morning and I explained that my goal was to eventually have minimum of $5,000 month coming in (after taxes) from rentals in low income / working class neighborhoods.  And I have ZERO today and recently got married. 

His response:

1. You will have a hard time doing that given you'll soon have a family and kids.

2. You have significant student loan debt so don't do anything silly

3. Make sure you really know what you're doing and the tradeoffs for doing that vs the stock market.  (Note: he is very very experienced in investing in stocks, works for a hedge fund)

Left the breakfast meeting feeling a bit deflated...but where there is a will ..there is a way. He made some very valid points.  Now my quest is to find a MENTOR who has done this..