Or is it okay to work for a private one/two man shop- where Im friends with the principal and who has all the knowledge and experience from working for the big firms...

You can then start shopping for another, and rinse/repeat.  

The 80,750-SF grocery-anchored neighborhood center, which traded at a 6.5% cap rate and was 92% occupied, has had The Fresh Market as its anchor tenant for the past 12 years.Higher up the pricing spectrum, unanchored and open-air shopping centers may see cap rates above 7% and occasionally push into the 8% to 9% range as specific market and quality factors influence each transaction.In the open-air shopping center segment, Nuveen sold the 1 MSF Fayette Pavilion to 5Rivers CRE, a private buyer from Houston, for $134 million, or $128/SF.

Invest where yuo feel safe. Rents

I don't know why it is that way but you look a little harder when you put that kind of cash in vs. getting that preapproval and going shopping, at least that's the way it was for us.

i'm a long distance investor as well happy to talk shop if you're needing help with anything. :)

We’re a one stop shop for everything you need.

One would have to describe why it's safer than a CD, Bond, Annuity (which is federally insured) or just the S&P 500.

I know it probably could have been lower if I shopped it around but I'm very busy with my day job so I was happy with the process. 

I am more interested in safer investments even if it means less cash flow.I am interested in areas with no lead paint so I am thinking either Akron or Lorraine?