Working with the City of Cincinnati is a finely tuned skill.

This also allows you refine your skills in evaluating an individual syndication deal. 

Remain dedicated to your objectives and keep developing as an investor.By leveraging your skills, passion, and dedication, you're well-positioned to succeed in real estate investing.

Not meeting that fate requires a real commitment and a solid foundation of skill, knowledge, and experience.

This kind of work requires special skills that most of the people in this town don't have.  

.- I have the skill set to do majority of the work - the numbers appear do work well as a STR- the property has sat on the market for a long time (100+ days)- I am assuming material and substrates will cost significantly more then doing the same work in the lower 50 states.- the topics I search on BP appear to all be pre/mid covid, and have some recovery discussions post Irma.

With determination and a willingness to learn, you can acquire valuable skills and insights on your own.

Theoretically, yes.While it is not entirely impossible, for most people the more likely path to success is to build the skills necessary with a couple duplxes. 

Only agents (and maybe loan officers) have an actual understanding of the enormous differences in the skill levels of agents in the industry.

Especially if you lack the skills or time to do value-add deals or find better priced off market deals.I think so many people discount the *psychological effect* of financial independence.