I now have 10 rental houses, am looking to move to small apartment buildings and am a basic member at Lifestyles Unlimited, which I also find to be worth the minimal membership fee.  

I felt like I needed time to handle it properly and they didn't have the time. 

Toledo has lots of problems with management companies here not being properly licensed, using "rent a broker's," and helping people from out of state invest and the end up in areas that are not profitable and are high maintenance and it only makes the "unqualified" managers money and not the investors.

Do the math with local rents and call different property managers to determine if the numbers work then consider your lifestyle and college schedule.

Do you have proper license and insurance to legally manage properties for other people?

Maintain proper records - Contracts, Settlement Statements, Agreements, Promissory Notes etc.Additionally, you can track income and expenses consistently, using software or spreadsheets. 

Here is a great example why.I recently saw this asset come across my desk which was a non performing loan where the seller was a year behind (they made one payment I believe - even though they were allegedly properly underwritten).

The potential tax implications are often minimal, and with proper planning, you can maximize the benefits of your investment while minimizing any tax burden.

If you have a high rent and no rent control, without knowing anything else about your financial situation, lifestyle etc. 

This really isn't a question of what's the "best" way to invest, it's more what works well for you, your resources and lifestyle.