There are many advantages to this: the sponsor (operator, GP, asset manager) is a professional - this is their day job so they should (if you vet them properly) be much better at finding and managing assets than most new investors; you can diversify in multiple ways - you can invest with different operators, in different markets and different asset class; it is truly passive - you need to vet the operator and analyze the deal, but once the property is purchased you have no role - you just collect reports and (hopefully) cash flow; you don't need a competitive advantage - if you are an active investor, in order to get great returns you have to be able to do something better than your competitors - that could be local market expertise, DIY skills - something to make yourself stand out.My experience since going fully passive is that my returns are better because I am hiring professional asset managers and my return on time is MUCH better because I am not managing the properties.If you want to be an active investor - absolutely go for it! 

However, we have some competitors who charge say 15% and they jack up your cleaning fee an extra $100+ to make up for it.

I've been researching the author and his programs (competitors too), but there's also a wealth of information available online.

Finding a deal and closing a deal are two different things—making sure you can move fast and execute a close (and beat out potential competitors) is a prerequisite to a successful BRRRR (if someone else is able to purchase the property, your BRRRR investment is dead).Many BRRRR method investors make property purchases in cash, whether due to not being aware of other options (using a hard money loan) or thinking it's better financially.

Or you can go the cheaper online route with Modsy.com or Havenly.com or one of their competitors.  

Fact in hand, there is several companies who are wildly more expensive than competitors with equal or sub-par products/service yet they are wildly successful.

Up to 10k US you don’t have to declare and  anything 10k and over , you have to declare the amount you are bringing in ..So theoretically, you can bring in any amount in cash over 10k us , as long as you declare it on arrival.I know this from  past experience and also from times when I have been a team manager and carried large amounts of US dollars  to pay for hotel and competition fees etc for competitors. 

My firm is a friendly competitor to Omnikey.

Among your competitors are experienced cash investors, brokers/agents, and traditional homebuyers all looking to purchase properties at or above market value.

Either the agent is lying or you have a competitor.