(imho)...Once you have enough rentals paying for your basic necessities, your subsequent purchases can then help pay for some "fun" things you've always wanted in life...vacations, a nice watch, your dream car, extra donations to your church/charity, pay off mortgages (if you choose), or maybe you just continue to re-invest. 

If you get started out right it is not that hard to do the taxes in subsequent years unless you are adding/subtracting rental properties.

are pricing dropping or is it sociodemographic down hill slide ?

Some of those places, no tow truck is coming to get you if you slide off the road - you're talking about a tractor or excavator with chains to pull you out.

please join me on this journey as I will be posting my progress here to remain accountable and not slide into easy!  

Vultures sliding into your DMs in 3, 2, 1...Congrats on your success.

I have had several situations where I have caught my JV partner (sometimes a GC, sometimes not) sliding in extra expenses from his other jobs or even personal home into our project.

I'm sure once we finish this first one, any subsequent ones will be a lot easier, but for now, the end seems incredibly daunting ha. 

That new continues the significant slide of the Stock and Bond markets.  

If you can't do either or don't know either, there is no deal and no way to be a middle person to a subsequent sale.