stay in my comfort zone and stay exactly where your at now or being uncomfortable and achieving way more than you ever possibly thought imaginable.

You will have other expenses, including routine maintenance.

I am able to afford a good life for my family, which allows my wife to stay home and raise our kids, but at the same time I am uncomfortable that our comfort hinges solely on my job.

But factor in the interest, insurance, property taxes, routine maintenance, lawn care, new roofs and furnaces, etc and its almost always a loser, financially.

The day I started the 9-5 routine I put to work a plan to retire.Both my parents retired early because of REI & when my mother passed @ 89 she was still pulling $42,000 passive a year after taxes.

If your tenant takes off or stops paying you get rid of him just like in the ownership routine and get another tenant buyer.

. - I would be very uncomfortable with trying to use a sponsoring company that might look like a sham/shell.

Though San Diego has mild weather, it still gets into the high 70's and low 80's sometimes, and the closeness to the ocean causes some humidity, which without HVAC it is uncomfortable, same with heating, it's a necessity.

You grind hard at the beginning, then get set in a decent routine once you know what you are doing.

My partner and I are thinking somewhere around 15-20% ownership is reasonable in exchange for brokerage services (finding the deal, transactional, management, leasing) AND maintenance services (routine and preventive of up to 10 or so hours per month).