My suggestions from this point forward ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Do not mention you played professional sports anymore( gold diggers / con artist / etc )Do not put “professional athlete” in your online bio( maybe mention the college you attended )Attend your local rei clubs meetings as average joe (do not be flashy at all while working with realtors and investors – clothes ,jewelry, costly meals, transportation )If you can play another season or two go ahead– offset your initial real estate investing costsMaybe consider being a real estate agent near your local college “Shaq” move -> local popularity to sell propertiesWatch ESPN “Broke” Directed by Billy CorbenAct & talk like your average joe when working with agents / investorsStart out at a small modest rate when investing avoid friends/family members looking for hand outs - jobs , cash , etcAvoid real estate gurus– Do not go all or nothing attitude when you start out investingGo through Bigger pockets threads during your down timeTeam up with people you can trust and get alone with Use other people money when possible (private money)– local and overseas connections- stay away from hard money loans , if possibleReally know your local market your investing inMaybe hire a property management to work with tenants (tenants might act stupid,, if they think you already have money)(property mgmt - always double check their numbers)(do not be afraid to fire someone when need )Real Estate investing is a business ( you can be ahead or down really fast )Good luck

Plus, our time is too precious to waste more of it on what was initially a nuisance. 

Land in climate paradise is precious.  

You can get great deals on gold silver semi precious and precious stones in pawn shops at the moment.

Whether you are buying real estate, buying precious metals, buying stocks, buying mutual funds, buying companies, or giving someone else an interest bearing loan, the point at which you become an investor verses a gambler is when you are willing to put forth effort in ensuring that you have mitigated risk and taken advantage of all possible profits.  

Some things are more precious than cash.

I can wait 1 yr  (which will be in November) but I feel like that is a waste of precious time that I could use to invest.Anyway.

There are other items, such as jewelry, that get marked up 600-900% all the time!  

The presumed fact that this new generation is being taught no real values and can be so careless to "forget" that your precious child was left ON THE ROOF OF YOUR CAR is horrible.

The IRS looks at buying and selling houses just like buying and selling any other commodity -- you could be buying and selling shoes, buying and selling clothes, buying and selling jewelry, etc.So, the income is taxed at whatever your marginal income tax rate is, not a fixed rate like capital gains.