While the initial years might not be financially lucrative, the knowledge and skills you acquire will be invaluable.

Quote from @David Sotomayor: Im getting into fix and flip real estate and working with a private lender who requires a higher credit score than mine to qualify.

While these vendors are typically reputable and skilled, you might not get the best price compared to shopping around directly.

To qualify as an RE Pro you must:1.

If you walked into a bank, your pre-approval would likely never qualify for a house hack duplex.Did they count 75% of the expected rent towards your DTI? 

I wanted to be able to put in some sweat equity and learn some of the skills needed in this trade.

Just like every professional has a different pay range and skill cap, PM has differences in knowledge and skills.

---Investors always compare/hire people of Craigslist that are uninsured, questionable skills, are unreliable and offer no warranties.

On top of that, hiring tribal members for construction or operations could qualify for employment-related tax credits.

To qualify for a loan, focus on having a credit score of at least 620 (or 580 for FHA loans), keeping your total monthly debt under 43% of your income, and saving enough for a down payment and closing costs—about 5-10% of the home's price in total.