People not from Houston have only seen the horrible photos on TV and may not grasp just how big this place is geographically, how spread out and dispersed everything is (meaning as bad it as it was, most folks were fine)... and decide to go elsewhere for work. 

Im taking my real estate classes now and going over Cap rate right now and I really want to make sure I have a good grasp on cap rate.

@Bob Malecki  has a fund ( not sure if its accredited or not) but they are in the business of managing debt instruments.So maybe you check into these two as some sort of alternativeto get some experience.the BP is full of threads of beginner lenders asking for help after the fact.. its not super complicated but experience matters when it comes to lending.. its not like buying a rental home and sticking a tenant in it.. anyone can grasp those concepts.

Once you can grasp the concept it makes complete sense.

@Scott HamiltonI'm a local investor here in Dayton with a pretty extensive grasp on our market.  

Needless to say this is what I've been searching for awhile and I feel so lucky that I've found it...My question is, as an active Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser I have the access to the local MLS, a lockbox key, and even a great grasp on the local market.. so I'm wondering, is it still in my best interest to obtain my real estate license?

What @Ryland Taniguchi says is absolutely correct, although I would caution him in that a beginner to the real estate scene won't necessarily have an instant grasp of the jargon.

sounds like you have a great grasp on it all and the focus to make it happen. cheers. newbie here too. just wished to introduce myself. formerly from washington, dc, i'm just getting started in the staging arena in california and i'm looking to make some connections as well. thanks and sincerely, sydney

To truly grasp this market, you must jump in or draw on the expertise of those with firsthand experience.

Retirement planning is a journey filled with valuable lessons, and as a real estate investor, I’ve learned some crucial insights that I wish I had grasped earlier.