@Dan DiFilippo I didn’t say new construction was down because lumber was expensive.I said both are reasons prices are up right now.

I am a civil engineer, but wanted to be a carpenter growing up.  Right

If the LLC's, land trusts, and/or other trusts have not been set up right by an attorney that understands real estate then yes it doesn't work.

Their letters go from 79 cents on up right?

I only have about 20k saved up right now and looking to get into the direct mail/call options but once a seller calls me on the phone how am I going to purchase the house?

The stock market is way up right now and I’d like to diversify a little more.

More doors can reduce risk if you can pick them up right.

Whenever I see success stories, they usually involve boot-strapping, or leveraging somebody you know from somewhere to give you some opportunity that you were able to martial forward to get the snowball rolling.We don't really have a network of people (friends and family are all in different states)We aren't Real Estate agentsI don't have any handy-man/rehab skillsThis sounds bad to me even as I write it, but all I really have going for me to get started is funding and a sincere interest in learning and growing myself. 

Make sure you set it up right.

When you're in your 20's you think you have the world by the tail, in your 30's you have to know everything by then, the 40's let many know they missed the boat, by the 50's you realize you never knew it all and the end is near, by your 60's you're assessing the damage and your accomplishments, slowing down, then you prepare to live in your 70's and after that, you sit and try to remember what you can, wondering if you brought your family up right and if they will do better and if you really did your best.