Getting good at passive investing

[Justin Lee]

Hi BP, I really like the idea of passive investing via syndications or crowdfunding, but to jump in on a deal now feels risky, as I have little to no experience in REI. Sure, I'm reading as much as I can about deal analysis and due diligence, but is it foolish to start out without any hands on experience buying, managing, and selling my own properties? Listening to the BP podcasts, it seems like a lot of successful, experienced investors are now offering opportunities to put money into their deals or funds. If someone has a successful business model that would take me years to emulate, why shouldn't I take advantage of their expertise? They can probably get higher returns than me, and I would gladly take a lower rate of return in exchange for not having to put in the work of finding the deal and managing the property and eventually putting it up for sale. What do you think is the minimum amount of experience needed to be able to successfully vet deals and sponsors? Can I do it just by reading and learning without any hands on experience? Or would I just be gambling? Justin