If you have a demanding job, you can invest in a fund or in stocks, then it will be passive and the reality is the sexy side of real estate especially in  "cash flow" non appreciating rentals is not passive and not all its cooked out to be.

Are we more worried about investing sexy, or investing for more profit?  

I don't want to build a haphazard, time-sucking, disjointed business.4) Teach / show / prove to my teens the power of REI 5) Bonus goal: Have one or more properties appreciate significantly over the next 4-5 years.

As a young beginner, your first step is to read this book from Bigger Pockets. www.biggerpockets.com/teenIt is specifically for teens who are exactly where you are right now - the beginning.

You also don’t have the problem of teens unplugging the stick and connecting their game console and then putting it back in the wrong port.  

As a young beginner, your first step is to read this book from Bigger Pockets. www.biggerpockets.com/teenIt is specifically for teens who are exactly where you are right now - the beginning.

Low teens and below is probably not worth investing in unless you have other reasons that help it make sense for you (strong appreciation potential, personal usage, etc).  

Is it possible for a 16-year kid to legally make money from real estate, I have asked a few people about this topic but have never gotten a clear answer, looking for one on bigger pockets. 

ppl will underestimate you for your age - understanding the numbers as a teen is more impressive to potential mentors than just spotting uncut lawns. youtube "how to run comps". try a social experiment and offer to cut their unkept grass if you really want to find out their motivation and build rapport. then use the $20 to buy colored envelopes and vumber subscription and print copies of your "i work with investors" letters and drop in owner's mailboxes - no stamp or return address needed. be patient and prepared to get a call back 7 months later when they finally reached their distressed limit (also dont take the angry call backs personal). youre protected by youth. lol

Credit pull and background check.. the one's who say no problem and check out you at least have a straight shooter .. others will just go away.. and some will have something on there.. like got arrested for smoking pot in their late teens or something non critical like that.