I have about 250 questions I ask a sponsor and spend probably 10 hours easily researching them.

You may spend thousands of non-refundable dollars to present them with deals, but there is no guarantee of approval.

I most want to avoid spending considerable time showing units in-person to prospective renters, esp. before we've pre-screened them.

That’s how much you have to spend on 1-3 replacement properties (to keep it simple)2) How much equity do you have in the property?

I spend $50,000 to rehab the home.  

If you spend six months networking and act interested and not interesting, you will have connections, but you need to build your background before you approach or there will be no value for them.

Don't spend too much time comparing a seasoned sponsor with a decade plus of experience to a newer operator.

After spending years in the car business, I decided to make a bold shift into real estate.

Why spend money on unneeded repairs/improvements?

I wouldn’t recommend spending time with a 27-year-old who already has a long list of investors.