I can tell you as a NMLS licensed mortgage banker ( which I am ) . that if your caught giving a kick back you will lose your license and lively hood.I have been in the business for 42 years hundreds of millions in closed transactions and I have never been offered or received a kick back nor would I offer.Nice dinner ... bottle of wine  GREAT service yes .. but little kick backs that just screams of EAst coast every one wants a taste mentality.. it just does not happen with those that have good business ethics that all the folks I deal with have. 

This guy was home with his family, making dinner then eating dinner as we're trying to look at the place.

@John Thedfordmaybe you can invite me over to dinner to meet some of this family that wouldn't lend to strangers.

I've met his wife and children too and have had dinner with them a few times!

It takes work, I've seen people invite their bankers to a sporting event or dinner/drink after work when they have a major deal to work on, or send a nice "thank you" gift when it's all done.

I am in KC today and will be taking my clients to the best steak houses in KC for dinner and looking at our projects. 

We're animal friendly so if someone's working late or away we'll take care of each others pets, we have dinners at each others units every few months, etc.

It all depends on the scale and size of what you are investing in.I would encourage you to meet up with other landlords in your area.Have lunch or dinner and talk about the pro's and con's of the business.From there you will validate a more clear path for yourself of what you want.Smaller apartments buildings such as 2 to 10 units are self-manageable and I see many investors who can do this and be okay.When you start getting up into the mid size properties say 20 to 100 units you have to be doing them full time.Especially older buildings where issues will come up more frequently.The larger size buildings will many times have a live in property manager with a staff to handle maintenance and other issues that come up.A base plus bonus is needed to keep the property manager and others motivated and to decrease turnover.Each time you have to train a new person it costs you much more.Just like getting new customers versus cultivating existing relationships.Will you be paying cash or using regular bank financing??

You can sleep on a friend's couch and offer to clean their house or do their laundry or cook dinner in exchange for some temporary shelter. 

Past few days I've shared my idea to my friends during dinner that I want to go into real estate flipping.