Chris a quick story. That says it all. First, I am not selling anything. Most people who say they are real estate experts, have not survived challenging times. The last 10 years or so has made everyone a hero. Most have not survived the global melt down of 2008-2011. I have and like everyone else who survived I was beaten up bad.
To put thinks in prospective I just turned 60, when I was much younger I am guessing 30 years or so ago I met someone who I think was 70 at the time who started investing with me, after some time, it was clear he had real wealth. One day I asked him how did you accumulate so much money and cash flow. He said it very simply, I started buying real estate when i was young, before you new it if was paid off and I was wealthy. He told me what I said, buy good real estate, let the tenants pay it off and dont die. If you do this, you dont have to get fancy or complicated but be steady and if you dont die you will become wealthy.
I can tell you story after story of what happened to me and how this effected me. Some seems nuts, but real.