You must work at least 750 hours per year in a qualified RE business.So most people who have high-earning W-2 jobs outside of real estate won't qualify.But the unique thing about RE pro status is that even if you don’t qualify but your spouse does, you can both file jointly and claim the losses from your RE investments to offset your other active income together.It's an incredibly powerful benefit if you do meet the criteria.

.🎯 Your 6-Month Timeline:Month 1: Foundation (5-7 hours/week)Morning routine: 1 hour daily market researchEvening routine: Deal analysis practiceWeekend: BP forums & networkingKey Goal: Analyze 10 deals on paperMonth 2: Education (8-10 hours/week)Complete 1 RE courseJoin 2 local REI groupsSchedule lunch breaks with agentsKey Goal: Build your initial power team listMonth 3: Systems (10-12 hours/week)Set up deal tracking systemCreate document templatesEstablish banking relationshipsKey Goal: Ready to make offersMonth 4: Lead Generation (12-15 hours/week)Drive neighborhoods after workWeekend open housesSetup automated MLS alertsKey Goal: Generate first 5 qualified leadsNow, the Owners and Brokers you deal with may not enjoy this, but you can certainly "practice" making offers.  

@Matt Powers there are endless possibilities and combinations of how you could approach this opportunity.

I'm assuming I won't have that high of purchasing power, and therefore I believe partnering with my former boss would provide the "backing" i would need. 

you may have to save up until you have enough money to do so - down payment, closing costs, reserves, etc.House Hacking: What Is It, How to Start, and Strategies for Successit's a more powerful way to get started. 

also look into AI powered softwares for narrowing down your search criteria. 

It’s a powerful platform that automates payoffs, commissions, and projections, helping you focus on growing your business.And, of course, there’s always Excel.

My net number is rental income minus expenses(3 mortgages, paying power bill at all three houses, property tax, insurance, internet in two properties).

I'd say visitors do usually use more power than you'd think but that does seem somewhat high.

Also, I'm looking to form a power team in each of the states mentioned.