One the Fence--Talk me Out of This or Give me a Pep Talk

[Ryan Weltz]

My wife and I are looking to purchase a property for rent within the next 18 months.  In that time, we will pay off our primary mortgage and hopefully learn a lot about what to expect.  I've committed nothing to this at this point but a few hours of research and some optimism of generating a passive income stream that will help us realize our goal of retirement within the next 15-20 years.

Based on your experience with purchasing properties for rent, what would you say to the newcomer (me)?