While I know that return goals are different for each investor and their specific goals, it seems that a bad or low-performing deal for one person might be what another investor is looking for. 

The ones that read like an advertising piece go nowhere. 

You may not care, but I want to be clear that she is the one in the wrong, not you.

(Maybe a service business with one asset, cash, can get away with not worrying about a balance sheet?

Congratulations to myself on this one.Unto the next one!

We can make exceptions with worse credit and slightly below perfect income but under no circumstances do we allow anybody rent one of our properties with a below 500 credit score, or 2x rent income or prior evictions. 

When my youngest went to school, I changed my license status to Active, and have learned and enjoyed helping people buy/sell/invest for around 7 years now.Everyone's journey is different....you might one day no longer be a firefighter...you might move to another state....you might want to buy a house one day and having a real estate license could save you some money. 

But you are paying now --  So, you'll pay one way or the other.

@Jaycee Greene would there be a difference one way or another with this use?

Yes, either that or a multi-family next (leaning towards the MF, if I can find a good one).