Hi Scott, The biggest distinguisher I've seen is that they must accompany the person at all times.

My biggest struggle right now is the rehab process but learning everyday to become a master at it! 

Leverage and the ability to force equity are two of the biggest tools.The catch: you will only succeed in RE if you have the "bug".

I actually don't like the idea of paying off a property either though, I think one of the biggest reasons for investing in real estate instead of the stock market is that real estate is setup to use debt as leverage.

The biggest financial messes that I have seen are from those that do something because they heard someone else say that it was a good idea all the while never actually understanding what they are doing or developing any subject matter expertise.

Vetting the tenant seems to be the biggest predictor of success.  

The biggest obstacle here is not City zoning or ordinances (many have even addressed it yet) but the local Home Owners Associations who have put minimum restrictions on home sizes.  1000 sqft is one of the smallest, 1200 sqft is the average I've seen in my area.  

Your biggest obstacle is that you are young and have no experience.

The biggest indicator of this is that about 4 months ago, we sold the house next door, and it appraised for 5% less than what this appraisal came in at.

Our biggest problem is that it is booked so often we never get to use it.