Physically being onsite with some frequency is paramount to success in my arena.

All of my notes were done with re-purchase agreements.Another way is through the loan servicing agreement, it allows for the assignment of the note and deed of trust in the event of default and the servicer carries out foreclosure or acquires the collateral, sells the collateral and pays the par amount outstanding.

The first major fork is cash flow, some really need maximal cashflow and for those it's paramount to scaling, others have more than ample income and are a-ok at even a net0 COC so they can go for maximal equitable appreciation which in the vast majority of cases/markets is a much large yield rate than cash-flow.

@Brandon Kiser Paramount Properties - CJ Hodges.

If you are targeting the MF apt niche, first of all realize it is extremely competitive right now and getting the right mentoring / coaching and aligning with folks doing the business in a big way would be paramount for me.  

Liquidity is paramount with large sums of capital.

That being said having a stable income is paramount in real estate for me.

A good CPA can help her with the specifics of qualifying for this status but it sounds like she is doing well, and sheltering income and keeping more of what you earn obviously is paramount.  

@Corey M.you can sell your prinicpal residence, take the 250k exclusion and get a duplex, triplex or quad in Long beach, Bellflower, Paramount neighborhoods etc from the gain.

That said, there are investors to whom personal control over the investment property is paramount.