Just decided to get back into retail real estate too so, back helping fellow investors and Home Owners acquire property along with my own projects this should be fun lol.

That is why it is hard to get regular real estate loans on assets valued so low, the cost of the refinance makes it so you are paying higher than they can legally charge you percentage wise.

I have looked at getting involved in real estate for years but never pulled the trigger for one reason or another. 

I agree, the podcasts have made a difference in my knowledge of real estate. 

My journey right now is learning more about real estate investing as I've been very passive and bought without much research beforehand.

tbd Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

I'm new to the platform but have been investing in real estate for some time.

Unless you have a Roth SDIRA, there are significant downsides to investing in real estate with an IRA.  

Breaking news: events in and out of our control will affect real estate both positively and negatively.

Local Real Estate Investor Associations (REIA's) also are a great place to network and find a mentor or someone to walk you through getting started.