In my experience, the spread has recently been around 75-100 bps on rate. 

These Sponsors tour the convention circuits and roll out robust social media brands to get their name out and raise funds from smaller investors.

That equity spread out over 2-3 properties would significantly improve your ROI over time.

Barista FIRE: quit W2 job, and work part-time to supplement all the investmentsFat FIRE: Living a pretty extravagant lifestyle (e.g. the social media gurus with their cars, traveling, etc).

Perhaps the problem has been blown out of proportion by the media, but we would just like to ensure that it doesn’t happen to us.

I've been saying this to some of the "Gurus" out there who are spreading fear. 

Never been a big shot, just average investor spread across different asset classes. 

Time sink: takes so much effort and time while working full time.Option 2: Buying Rental Property in a Cheaper MarketPros:Time to cash is immediate is about 40 days from closing time.Landlord friendly: which means eviction and rent control in LandlordDiversification: Investing in a different location spreads the risk.Property Appreciation: Some emerging markets might offer significant appreciation over time.Established Rental Market: Easier to find tenants in established rental markets with a high demand.Potential to build an ADU: i can build on the property land.

So the spread would worry me. 

Start by using social media investment groups to start your data base, then start going to live Meetup events to connect with other potential cash buyers.