Owning the property outright allowed him to address those costs comfortably and even negotiate a better deal on materials since he wasn’t rushing to meet a lenders timeline.Given that you want to learn and scale gradually, cash is a safer way to build your confidnece and investment foundation.

I would go to every REI meeting in your area and network.

If you do not have someone you can call to perform the work at that estimated cost, it will be a struggle to meet your budget. 

Nice to meet you.

Yes, as long as you're filing jointly, you can combine the time and activities both you and your wife spend managing the rentals to meet the material participation requirements.

I’m currently at BP Con Cancun if anyone wants to meet in person.

What would be the best way moving forward with this applicant since one does not fully meet our minimum requirements?

Figure I would bump this thread in case any fellow BPers are gonna be at Tulum on Thursday and/or Chichen Itza on Friday and want to meet up

I could go this route, but since this is California, I'm wondering if it's better to get more personalized help closer to home.I'm also happy to consider non-Bay Area alternatives (with meetings done over Zoom) if anyone has a lawyer they particularly like.Thank you for any advice and recommendations!

You have come to the right place to begin your investing journey.Have you looked into attending local meetings and joining Facebook groups?