To partner or not to partner... This is my question!

[Chris Cavner]

Hey guys, 

I'm just starting out and have been doing a lot of research on strategies and ways to get started.  I've come to a bit of a crossroads, do I start up with a partner or go it alone?  There are obvious advantages to each strategy, but I thought I'd post here and see what peoples experiences have been.  What led you to partnering (or not) and how did you structure the partnership (split cash flow, cap costs, financing costs, etc 50/50 or some other structure?). 

Appreciate the feedback!

Chris

[Matt Motil]

If you have the resources to go it alone, then you have the whole pie to yourself. If you are leery of taking the plunge without a safety net, per se, then partnering can be a nice way to get your feet wet. 

I did everything on my own until I started buying larger commercial properties that I couldn't take down on my own. At that point, it's a little more complex than just splitting things 50/50, but you need to do what makes sense to everyone involved. 

At the end of the day, every partnership should be a win-win. If it's not, then it's not a good partnership.