The trouble I'm having is all of those things either require a lot of startup capitol, or a talent/expertise that can be packaged and sold.

These businesses provided educational return, they got me reading books, but ultimately I failed in terms of finding personal and financial reward through them.Approximately 6 months after my realization, my wife and I were sitting in bed and I was reading the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad”.I remember distinctly, putting the book down and asking my wife “how would you feel about us selling our house and buying 2?”.

Would love to connect with people with local market knowledge and expertise.

You are building a list to marketing your expertise in problem-solving.

My boyfriend and I are planning to work together to utilize my expertise in construction and design, as well as his local knowledge.

If anyone is from the Houston area and would kindly share their expertise and experience it would be greatly appreciated. 

This is your deal, you get the majority of the potential reward so why should I take the risk that you miscalculated your comps and now have to sell at cost?

From your expertise what else can i do to expand my investments?

Your bookkeeping system can tag income and expenses with a property ID or use subaccounts to keep track of income and expenses by property.Since you are a sole proprietor, there is no issue with co-mingling funds and using the same checking account for both personal and rental activities, but, it is much simpler for record keeping to have a separate checking/savings account for the rentals.I have charged stuff on my personal credit card for my rental properties, because I get "rewards" for my charges.  

What to Look for in a Real Estate AgentWhen buying a home, you want a real estate agent who… Takes the time to understand your needs and goals, so you have a true partner in your home buying journey.Explains everything clearly and answers your questions, so you’re never in the dark.Has expertise and a track record of success in the local market.Knows how to find great properties in your price range.Will alert you to new listings, quickly, so you get the jump on those opportunities.Will advise you on the best price to offer for the home you want.Will prepare and present the offer, and skillfully negotiate such things as price, conditions, closing dates, etc. so you get the best deal.Will save you potentially thousands of dollars by ensuring you don’t overpay for the property you want.Will recommend reputable home inspectors, movers and other professionals you may need.Not every real estate agent offers all of these services.