I think I was fortunate to find a roll outside of real estate to diversify my income across two different sectors of the economy. 

@Sean Anthony to us, this situation is really no different than a nonpaying tenant.We try to work with tenants, as "life happens", while keeping pressure on them by moving forward with the eviction process.

As you begin your REI journey here is one tip I have for you:Use this website as you are trying to narrow down the places you want to invest in. https://www.areavibes.com/Its awesome because it gives you a "total livability score" & you can compare different zip codes & streets to others. 

But I also do believe you begin there you must be willing to pay more than the competitors to be able to thrive there as a primary investor. 

Unlike the Bay Area, at least from my experience in Sacramento, i don't think the difference in down-payment from a duplex and tri-plex is that significant.

Hey @Jonathan Baptiste, so we are a bit different than some.We have a large house that can sleep 12 comfortably and we provide a lot of stuff.

Probably going to be a check.Smart contractors are starting to understand that convenience matters to customers and being able to take different methods of payment can help them collect their money.

It also means you don't have to learn two different ways of doing things. 

Depending on where exactly the property is located they may have some different rules/laws in place.

REAL Estate in any form takes capital.. don't let anyone tell you different