The rule of thumb for me used to be that the property needs to be able to do 20% of the purchase price in gross rental income.

The first was after our introductory phone conversation when she was aggressive in asking me to fill out all the financial documents and forms in order to complete the purchase of the DST.

An extra $30/stay isn't enough for me to have to make myself a zombie on Benadryl in order to sleep there and not wake up with my eyes swollen shut because someone let their dog sleep in the bed.4) I think it's been priced too low.

I started out with a house hack, and I would say that that was definitely safe for me when I was in college as I could afford the Mortgage even if my renter didn't pay.

We have both always been interested in forming some partnership in which I do the leg-work and he provides the finances.

What worked for me was focusing on building strategic relationships with top tier people (quality partners) who could complement what I brought to the table—sales, management, and execution.When you are approaching sellers for creative financing, leading with a clear value proposition (and CONFIDENTLY) is key.

Hi Ryan, I'm a licensed real estate broker in Illinois and also a property manager, and yes, in the state of Illinois, you need to be a licensed real estate broker (to be compliant) in order to manage property owned by others, because property management is considered a form of a real estate activity under Illinois law. 

An LLC when properly formed and administered provides separation and protection of assets that are outside of the LLC from the actions of the LLC.  

Debt is not only the easiest to originate but also recognized as the  cheapest form of capital.

This may take the form of a second deed of trust if the funds are being used as a down payment on an investment property with a conventional loan.