What I would really like is to meet a local agent or broker who deals primarily with RE investors, commercial or resi, and just spend a day shadowing you, seeing what the job involves, and learning.

Dark stain.

I've never met a DIY project I couldn't accomplish (yet).I'm not really sure where to begin, but I'm thinking about asking a more experienced flipper if they would be willing to let me shadow them on a project to learn the ropes.

., after which I put my foot down hard and said “dark grey or light grey siding?”

This can lead to leak in ceiling right as you walk into a unit.On certain centers being sold lets just say some developers ( talking in general ) are know to put up new centers that might like pretty on the outside but are built like junk and then put in lots of mom and pop tenants who have high risk of going dark.

A few folks have talked about leveraging a HELOC in the future, but if you don't have other assets to back up that play and things go south it could force you to sell your primary home - that gets real dark real quick.

It got to the point to where I just could NOT listen to DG/RA - it sounded like 2 buddies in a dark cheap bar with a weird sense of humor making jokes back and forth that only they got.

I want them to see what it looks like to take a shot and they've got to see me speak on TV & stage, win awards & praise and they've seen me come home of stories of dead bats falling out of ceilings, cleaning up dog crap in dark basement corners, sucking out water from flooded basements for hours, bloodied, bruised, ect. ect. ect. and now be served with papers. 

@Stewart J berry tenants may not regularly seal granite, wipe up dark liquids fast enough or use trivets and cutting boards — think raw chicken soaking into your counters — so we’re fine with laminate countertops, hygienic and cheaper to repair/replace if damage occurs.

I've gathered that one of the best ways to learn is to follow, shadow, or talk with those who have experience and have found success in REI.