If it were free and easy, everyone would be doing it and the competition would keep you from participating.If you aren't willing to invest some money, time, and effort into the hard things, you aren't going to reap the rewards.

For bills and other expenses I charge them all to a credit card that has good reward points. 

You can refer to it as bad business management.  

Real estate is often a long-term game, and while there may be challenges along the way, the rewards can be substantial.

This will allow you give a reference point on how much potential rent you can receive.

Community banks, and any lenders in the market would also hear references for you.I would also, when attending meetups, speak to other investors.

Hi Peter, I sent you a private message and a strong 1031X professional reference. 

Long-term goals could involve building a diverse portfolio, achieving financial independence, or even transitioning into real estate full-time.Ultimately, the journey in real estate investing is both challenging and rewarding.

Without the out of state pressure those values I think would have rarely climbed out of the 2 to 3 % rule as that is all a in the know investor will pay for the risk/reward of the current condition of those areas.. most all of the commercial has closed  so its really just schools and homes..

For reference, see: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/drs/publications/ocg/ocg5bonus...Is there an exemption to this rule or can bonus depreciation from a cost segregation study be applied via a different IRC code?