Propose starting small, like a single-family rental or house hack, with a clear, low-risk plan to minimize concerns.Leverage your industry connections and offer to handle the initial responsibilities, demonstrating your commitment and capability.

By the time you do that 4-5 times you should be able to have a paid off home or excess funds to invest in other assets.

Most of us buy funds for investments.

@Collin Luckett  Just adding, if you have the ability to fund with your HELOC, it would be far cheaper than PML or Hard money. 

With substantial equity in your Fort Worth rental, a cash-out refinance could free up funds to purchase additional properties.

She's a beast and you'll likely get approved which will give you a revolving source of funds to keep growing Griffin what terms are you seeing on products like this? 

My wife and I started managing more properties for others as word of mouth recommendations started and we started to use the management and arbitrage cash flow to acquire our own properties and fund the BRRRs we were working on.  

Sure.Do you have a wealthy uncle that trusts you that would loan you 100% of the funds PLUS closing costs? 

Getting a mother-in-low to co-sign is not the answer.

Brandon Turner wrote a book for BP called Investing with Low or No Money Down - start with that.