And what if the one person you didn't check has a criminal background, has collections, and more?

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

There is an amount that you can distribute from an IRA account to purchase a personal residence.You then might be able to turn the personal residence into an investment property.Best of luck.

Initially I didn't have a personal connection to the area and didn't know much about the city.

There are many here in my local area and your area is likely to have the same type of meetings.Most of the deals that I fund are by meeting investors in person at these groups and creating strong relationships. 

Over the years, with personal investment alongside investments from family and friends, I’ve been able to build a small portfolio of apartment buildings with a focus on cash flow through strong operations.

He’s not a pushy salesman, and I’ve got a business partner who has worked with him for the last 10 years without any issues.As for your situation, I wouldn’t say it sounds like a Ponzi scheme, but I’d strongly recommend meeting with the fund sponsor in person and asking as many questions as you can.

If the person stops making payments, they alas,  have to foreclose.

While I don't personally cover the Scranton area, my team and I work extensively with investors in the Philly suburbs, and I’m always up for a great real estate conversation.

Personal money How did you add value to the deal?