I am about to close in a week and while I didn't get the best deal, I got a decent deal given my criteria (newer multifamily close to home).Here are the highlights:Asking price: $190k  Final price: $165kGross Rents: $1,655/moMaint/Exp/Ins/Tax/Vac: $1,120/moNet Operating Income: $495/moWith a cap rate of 8.1% and cash on cash rate of 12% it is not the best deal, but I had to start somewhere and I have used this as a huge learning experience.

How will you monetize those lessons that you learned?  

If you are not going to monetize the asset of a GC license (e.g. becoming a contractor for investors, build the company up to free time to not have to oversee every project, etc.) then you are better off not wasting the time and money getting one.

Deals are hard to come by these days so highly focused bets are easier to monetize. 

Conservative estimates before receiving a bid from a contractor, inspection report or appraisal:$16k cash out of pocket$80k purchase price$160k ARV$45k rehab (Houston flood house)30% cash on cash return ($415/mo net cash flow) 159% return on equity ($26k equity)My contractor went out and estimated $50k, which means my cash out of pocket goes up ~$5k, but i'm still pretty happy with the numbers. 

If the seller really prefers a cash exit, another option he may consider is a Monetized Installment Sale.

At least I know what to avoid trying to do now.The authors of the books published by BiggerPockets are subject matter experts monetizing their know-how.The job market is constantly evolving.

I don't think an airBNB would be the best way to monetize in your neighborhood.  

This will elevate your stature as a professional and open up a lot more opportunities for you to monetize deals you can’t buy or wholesale.

If you're really interested you can search providers for "monetized installment sales" and deferred sales trusts.