@Mark NolanDefinitely look forward to expanding my horizons. 

I also know several long-term buy and hold investor who have retired on the cash-flow they generate from their free-and-clear assets who also hate the idea of leverage.There is no one-size-fits-all real estate strategy, and depending on your goals, time horizon, risk aversion, etc, leverage may or may not be for you.Paying all cash then having to do repairs for a gross rent of $950/mo does not seem to be the "highest and best use" of your funds.Assuming NOI of 50% of gross rents, cash-on-cash return for this deal would be about 10%.

I have worked tirelessly for several years, continuing the work of Josh Dorkin, to help our community prepare for both long-term wealth creation and precisely for a recession, which always looms on the horizon. 

I have a long term horizon but I don't want to spend my hard earned cash if the real estate market is likely to fall 50% in the next few years.

Fast forward to today, and I am thinking about taking cash out of my properties to fund new investments.I bring up my personal situation to underscore it all depends on your goals, risk appetite, equity capital, and investing horizon.

If it were me, I would expand my horizon to 5 years and...- I would take $10k and do some Day-Trading.

I am working on my first deal, I have a partner that I am working with. But, I am buying the property and selling under my name. Can I only pay taxes on my share of the profits ? Sorry if this a really basic answer th...

I currently do all my banking with USAA, but it has come to my attention that it would be wise to expand my banking horizons.

From speaking to private equity real estate funds, there has been a decline in deal activity and a focus on optimising returns from portfolio assets in preparation for downside exposures (if any).I am not alluding to the thought that a crash is on the horizon; instead I am trying to scope out whether I should start investing in real estate in current market conditions.

I suggest you list out some of your current and past project that shows passion, dedication,hard work, and if you really want to impress, discuss where you failed in those projects and what you learned from them.Also, I wouldn't restrict mentors locally, expand your horizon, remote mentors can just if not be more valuable (depending on how the mentor is).