Is Relying on Cash Flow Feasible?

[Christopher Morris]

Listening to all of the podcasts and reading the BP books / Rich Dad Poor Dad types makes it seem like building a portfolio and scaling smart could lead to early retirement and living on cash flow that ultimately replaces your income. 

But, talking to real life investors at RE meetups seems to come with a different answer. Many investors told me cash flow is a myth that all of it just goes right back into the property for repairs, vacancies, etc. 

I’m sure it’s a combination of both - but what should we believe as newer investors? Many investors seem to flip houses or have another form of income coming in (not a W2). I’ve been much more interested in flipping but I’m curious if that’s the common way to retire with RE on top of long-term holds with cash flow. 

Thoughts?