Let those seeds mature and assess as your life comes. 

Once in, do I need to bring a cashier's check or the like to deposit into the account as seed capital?

It's like planting a seed that can grow into a money tree.But the power of real estate doesn't stop there.

It's like being one step ahead in a game of chess.Step 13: Stay Patient and PersistentStaying patient and persistent means not giving up easily and waiting calmly for things to happen.It's like planting a seed and waiting for it to grow into a big, strong tree.

Basically, once you have that seed money, you can use it to make more money, AND even afford to have a bad deal --- not that you want one, but in reality it DOES happen.So, basically this angel investor is that first $1mil. 

Soak up all you can! 

Soak it in, ask questions, learn from those with years of experience. 

I would be more than happy to see if I could somehow add some value to someone near me to bounce ideas off of and simply soak up as much as I can in exchange for whatever I may be able to assist in so that I can start taking action in a dedicated direction.

In this way, he's generating more income which soaks up his passive losses and therefore decreasing his overall effective tax rate.You maintain control over your money, you're earning more tax-free income, and you're investing in (theoretically) higher ROI assets than what would be available through a 401(k).

I am essentially a newbie to REI so trying to be a sponge at this time and soak up as much information as possible.