Hi Jemini, I would start by doing research in the markets you're interested in to see what the rents vs. purchase prices are along with looking at the supply and demand of the market. 

If you don't flip, these guys are usually in the appropriate isles at Home Depot with the carts of supplies or just hang around the commercial check out.

Syndicators do this because most passive investors are not sophisticated enough to realize the "security" of the preferred return means they usually are giving up the potential for massive returns if the deal does well.This next comment would apply for all syndication.  

Customer supplies materials ?  

If you forget, you face massive fines.In a small partnership, you might be redoing this paperwork quite frequently. 

The easiest thing to transform them into is storage unit places but there is only so much of that before you have an over supply.

What I find to be most valuable: Ease of use, cost-savings and efficiency and here's what I mean: If using an interior designer to furnish your rental, they will hand you a list of supplies + furniture to buy and what I was able to do with Minoan is upload that list as a CSV file and then they come back with a quote of all of the items they can fulfill along with their respective discount. 

I'm hoping to start some social media campaigns which are completely unrelated to real estate, but if I build up a sizeable audience over the years, then maybe I can get others to invest with me.

With the most difficult buyers it can lead to last minute re-trades over inconsequential amounts of money but is just a pain to deal with.

This project is $2.5M, with gross revenues well over 10%.