You can contribute by finding deals or managing properties in exchange for a share of the profits.Lease Options: Control properties without owning them by renting with an option to buy, and potentially sublease for profit.Owner Financing: Buy properties directly from sellers willing to finance, bypassing traditional lenders and often requiring less upfront money.REIGs: Join real estate investment groups to pool funds with others for property investments.For a more hands-off approach, investing in turnkey properties in growing markets with minimal upfront investment would be ideal (like in the Southeast and Midwest of the country).

Their numbers did not always add up from the initial calls to the follow up, and I believe the returns they are offering are super aggressive.

That means learning how to vet a manager.

That said, here is how I would proceed...For some background, I used to run an STR management company in SATX and we peaked at about 35 properties under management. 

If the repairs are manageable and you’re getting at least a 10-15% discount, it can be a great deal—but avoid properties with major structural failure or uncooperative sellers.

With average rents in Charlotte hovering around $1,800 to $2,000, that means an average agent fee of just $190—if the management company even pays the showing fee.I understand that this may vary by market, but in mine, I don’t see agents being incentivized to work with renters.

Do managers that advertise 8% only do 8% when there's a bundle of doors to manage?

This is why I also use REIReply/GHL, if I didn't have amazing automatons within Zoho and I needed another CRM.

A lot of landlords use platforms like Zillow Rental Manager, Apartments.com, or Avail to list vacancies and screen tenants.

It was all really quick, and the time to complete everything happened a lot faster than I expected (which was a good thing).I was worried at first that I had to use all the partners that Rent to Retirement had, but it was really easy for me to shop around for different lenders with different terms and rates, insurance providers, and property management company.