My plan for now is to create a mind map and solid plan, with solid foundation of knowledge until I graduate.My project is the following:I live in a residential building, and my family owns the apartment that we live in.

I’m reaching out to this knowledgeable community for some guidance as my partner and I embark on our real estate investment journey.Our Situation:Partnership: We are a partnership of two individuals.Current Income: Both of us have W-2 income, which we carry a tax burden.Goals: Our primary goal is to replace our W-2 income within the next 5 years through strategic real estate investments.

While I'm still in the early stages, I'm committed to expanding my knowledge and understanding of the many opportunities that real estate investing has to offer.

:P There isn't anywhere near enough information in the original post to provide specific advice so I asked the poster to reach out.  10,000 foot overview the best advice would be to speak with a knowledgeable INDEPENDENT insurance agent and be as forthright as possible with your situation. 

Over time, gain knowledge and experience so that one day 3 or 4 deals down the road, one is ready to handle the huge responsibility of taking care of other people’s cash.One should also take stock of where they are at - what strength and capabilities they have, what income, what amount of capital, who their social and professional sphere is, etc etc and then come up with a real aka tic plan as to how to proceed.This all can be done but it takes a cold hard assessment of reality and then consistent effort over time to make it happen.Now that @Amir owns some rental property, he can tell his friends, family and associates about it and as they see him do well, NOW he will have more success asking for capital to do bigger deals.There’s an expression How does one eat an elephant?

If a mortgage broker, while having knowledge of local markets helps, it's not nearly as dire to be local as it is for a real estate broker. 

He was super helpful and knowledgeable.  

Some have quotas, some don't.Like anything in real estate the gatekeepers of the knowledge are the people in the market on a daily basis.

Hello all,I'm seeking advice on achieving a higher ROI in real estate investments beyond the 1% rule and maintaining around 35% of monthly operational expenses (including Cap-ex, maintenance, property tax, and vacancy).To the best of my knowledge and abilities, the 1% rule with 35% operational expenses seems to be the best I can achieve today.

As you start, remember that every expert was once a beginner, so take your time to absorb as much knowledge as you can.