Real estate is a fantastic vehicle to develop wealth but it can take away everything just as easily! 

The major difference between gurus/REI education is that there needs to be a big incentive for a single guru or real estate education vehicle to build a comprehensive knowledge base for Real Estate education that can fully address all the different types of people looking to learn about REI and the different gaps in education they will have in a cohesive way.  

I recently graduated from Montclair State University as a Business major, and have to decided on real estate as my vehicle for accumulating passive income.

A clean non ostentatious vehicle would also help.  

I have 3 vehicles, 2 of them are part of my growing hobby.

I have been studuying the different lessons if you will by all gurus like many have via internet, podcast, itunes, taking any learning vehicle that I could to be honest.

Then again, you may not and that's OK, you'll just have to find an investment property (or vehicle) in addition to your home.

Speaking from experience, it is precisely as John says, making the work far more manageable for the contractor if a particular phase can be focused on, and with the ongoing cashflow by way of draws it helps to eliminate any potential issues with the guy "running out of money". 

Consider looking into having them fund from an IRA or similar vehicle.

Park your vehicle a couple houses down and walk by the house a couple times and see what you notice.