I have a rule , never do business with family or friends .

@Dan Groveyes, go to meetups (real estate or business) and meet people in person and build a networkbut... no offense... i don't think funding an entry fee in second position is a particularly compelling investment

I'm also concerned about the liability that I might be exposed to here by allowing what appears to be a business to operate out of my rental.

RickTreat this like a business.

@Tar-U-Way BrightYou can use the LLC to set up business bank accounts and business credit cards.

@Nadia Jones Starting and running a fund is a separate business because it's something that you need to actively market for and regularly work on attracting capital to invest in. 

It was inspiring to hear what others have planned for their business and personal lives.

In fact, its become quite apparent that number crunching ranks rather low on the necessary skills for real estate compared to networking and communication and other business skills. 

Not sure what your time restrictions are but the fastest way to financial freedom and flexibility in real estate is creating a business out of it.

There simply isn't enough margin in this business to layer on a national company, without charging you an arm and a leg and/or doing a substandard job.