Focus more on learning how to read people and communicate well.

@Steve Vaughan When you're communicating with sellers, how do you "break the news" that you're an investor and an owner-occupant?

Communicate your intentions and your process up front. 

Their communication up to the exchange of the first draw check, perfection. 

I would do three forms of communication, email, phone, text to document you have tried.

I made this mistake on one of the units of a property of mine, and the main thing is I failed to create that channel of communication from closing on new ownership/management.

Also communication is key, guests want to be told everything so I have a canned welcome message and also a white board in the room with extra notes about the house, WiFi, and local restaurants.

I heard of them on Investor Grit's podcast and spent a week or so trying to find reviews and additional info on them as well as communicating via email.

Very good communication. 

This scales your investing.Forces you to network and depend on a team leading to relationships = more businessForces you to develop communication and business systems to stay on trackConsNot as easy to physically be on site if neededReally it comes down to how you want to invest.