Offer to pay them for advice to help you become financially successful.Meanwhile get an education, learn from other, get a real estate license, hang around real estate offices, read listings, list and sell real estate, get into that messy culture, lean to be positive, take courses on public speaking, take the Dale Carnegie course on How to Win Friends and Influence others, and read, read read.Attend public auctions, attend settlements, listen more than talking.

Pace not only attracts quality, but his team work their butts off to ensure the culture thrives. 

The fact that the agency had recommended me was good enough to get me in the door, and all the client wanted to do was make sure I would fit in with the company culture (was I easy to get along with, was I willing to learn, and so forth).But I've seen both extremes.

Im starting out on my path in Los Angeles, CA due to density and a predominant rental culture.

I guess it is similar to every primary residence house we've bought, where we have insisted on staying well below what we are qualified for, not the cultural norm.  

And in my area, they tend to be cheaper than sf, easy to rent, and have appreciated nicely (few blogs about them as appreciation plays)..The key is also finding an association where you even can rent them  (allowed by condo declarations/by laws etc), and even the organizational culture needs to be open to renters (many forums on restrictions).

To avoid that prep work, you could go with slabs of slate similar to what you see in the link below; your local stone yard or landscape supply yard should have some of this material for you to choose from:https://www.bradstone.com/products/contemporary-pa...

Here is a 3 bed 2 1/2 bath 2600 square foot contemporary style single family home.  

Nightlife and Culture: Between the vintage shops, Cuban cigar stores, and nightclubs, it's both trendy and cultural.Potential for Growth: As more young professionals and businesses enter the area, there's potential for real estate appreciation.Seminole Heights:Hipster Heaven: This area is all about vintage vibes.

Culturally we really praise talent, it almost lets us off the hook if we consider our abilities as God given or not.