I also lived, ate, worked along side and trained daily with the infantry units and was totally immersed with them, deploying with them all the way over there for their entire tour.

I have an associate on the East coast that credits their paid coach for their success and they have spent good money but have done very well with the information provided to them. this paid mentor had a very well thought out method for them to get into the business and they followed it to a tee..

I took it slow (buy and paydown vs lever up) and ate a recession in the middle.  

I would suggest reading the until ate guide to real estate investing on BP.

I drove an older but decnt truck, ate well but cheaply etc.....Not sure what the labor market is in your area, but around here, small town WI but touristy and industrial, employers are BEGGING for more workers at $10-15 hour plus.

For example if your right units AC craps out this summer that means that you just ate up your whole 10% CapX and repair budget for the first 2(!)

Most coworkers say "he just got lucky" lol.I have built one spec. house for myself and partners in the 90s, held it for to long and interest and broker fees ate most of the profits, so partnership dissolved because of lack of money in the one project and interest to continue.

@ Chris K - yes - me either - I have actually had to kick people out of my yard - and it wasn't even vacant - I caught a delivery guy taking a piss in my garbage area and kicked him out made a guy trash digger leave my house cause he was leaving garbage all over and getting beligerant and telling he did this every single day and it was his job and that he knew everything we ate , drink , and threw away - when he would not stop  - I physically closed the lid on his arm and removed him from the areamade some guy drop  a package he was trying to take away from my multiplex when he could not identify himself or why he was taking it .. saying that it was his " cousins"  - made him drop the box.. he said  " i was gonna feel stupid when i found out i was wrong later... "  that never happened - it was my tenants packageI could actually go on and on .... in retrospect ..

I always ate it but 40k is too much.  

I'm an electrician and rehabs ate right up my alley.