I've been interested in real estate investing(particularly buy and hold for cash flow) for some time, but always been hesitant to jump in.I've read numerous books, listened to almost 100 BP podcasts, been to some local REIA meetings, but I've yet to pull the trigger on anything.

I recommend you contact an attorney that specializes in this field and have them answer your question.

Right now, I'm absorbing any information I can pertaining to the field of real estate investing, including podcasts, blogs, books, and articles. 

However, although the fix n flippers like to call themselves real estate investors, they are actually in the real estate business, they are not investing in real estate.Real estate seems to be the one field where a large number of people are willing to believe that with just superficial knowledge, the purchase of a guru's mentorship program, the reading of a couple of books by authors who were NEVER successful in anything except selling books about how successful they were, that they will be able to achieve success as a real estate investor.  

Both my husband and I have been unable to find full-time work or even work in our fields. 

It seems like if it's a sellers market, low supply and high demand, the ball is really in their field (or sand box).

BNI has been a big help in my other business and BNI is heavily saturated with real estate professionals and other related fields (commercial lenders to landscaping to roofers, etc.)  

I am in a field that is similarly scorned and criticized by people who (most often) don't even understand what it is we do or know how much we really get paid: EDUCATION!

Below are the tools I've used as well as others I've looked into:Message AutomationThe tool I'm using is http://yourporter.comI currently have it set up to automate the following via AirBnB message and email:Inquiry response if I don't reply within 2 hoursVerification message immediately upon bookingCheck in instructions two days before a stayHow are you doing message one day after check-inCheck-out instructions the day before check-outLarge Group message to tell people to keep it down after 10PM for any reservations of 6+ peopleIt allows you to insert fields into the message such as guest's names and check-in dates that it populates into the message for you so it doesn't seem like a robot sent the message.yourporter can automate messages via AirBnB, email and SMSCost is $5/mo/listingI'm also using http://avivaIQ.com which is currently in beta and FREE and also does message automation but only through AirBnB's messenger.

I have over 5 years experience in the Real Estate Business and I have a vision for my company, a vision to be the best in my field.