I'm thrilled that we've grown to this point in our portfolio, but we are now up to 10 single family homes, and with other (more than) full time jobs, we are desperately looking for some help from someone that can help us track rents, walk throughs (property upkeep), etc.We have done an excellent job up to this point, but it is not sustainable, since we travel for work, and our tenants need more communication/attention.Any suggestions/thoughts here?

I’m not thrilled about having to pay these fees to receive their rent money.

Gambling with someone else's mortgage is not something to mess around with. 

My rational is this:As a REI, I am very comfortable gambling on the future, after all, it's what you do.

Option 1 is just gambling on appreciation and sounds like it doesn’t fit with your long term goals. 

This new endeavor has made me feel a new thrill for real estate, as I've done rentals for some time now. 

If you buy the property with tenants already living there, you are gambling as to whether or not they are good tenants.

Initially, I was thrilled that someone offered to partner with me and was willing to teach me how to successfully carry out deals.

I've been surprised way too many times with major things wrong....unless the house was an absolute steal and then it might be worth the gamble.

I could not be more thrilled to join the Real Estate industry and all it has to offer.