Should get started in REI with a partner or no?

[Benjamin Blackburn]

Hello everyone,

I'm still in the early stages of gaining knowledge and trying to figure out what the best route for real estate is for me.  Well, I have a good friend of mine/college roommate/teammate that is also wanting to get into real estate.  This friend actually got drafted a couple of years back into the Major Leagues but is no longer playing ball anymore.  So he has a nice chunk of change to get started in a deal, he just has no credit what so ever and is really just wanting to partner.  Me, I have pretty good credit but the capital just isn't there.  He is a single individual and is still in school.  I am a married/father living in Houston with a F/T job. 

Should I partner with him to get things going? If so, i have no clue how that usually works?

Or should I just do it myself and start my own real estate portfolio for my family and I?

thank you very much