If you are accredited, you can invest w experts who spend all their time searching for the best markets/submarkets, find value add attractive deals and have invested successfully thru various market cyles.

As far as CF, I have looked at any number of them, but most require accredited investors (there are a growing number of exceptions), the one I wrote about does not.  

Must my investors be accredited investors?

Was it a group where an non accredited investor can participate like they can in LU?

Sumrok's basic is fairly inexpenisve, but can go higher depending on how much you want to spend.Most of these groups are looking for accredited investors with minimum $25,000-$50,000 to invest.You might also checkout Quest....lots of free education and they show you how to use retirement money to invest. 

I can offer up some more suggestions on the marketing end of things is you would like to email me.If you have to dig into the tules to find notes then I think you need to be in the NOTE business if you just want to be a note investor you need to find a broker who will provide them to you .. or if your accredited you can look at note funds..

Plus, there are caps in accepting retirement money, strict rules about advertising AND your investors must be accredited.

Syndication if you are accredited is a great way to get into CRE projects like apartments, learn and can be used as a complementary strategy w/your DIY approach.  

You could attend an accredited real estate training option.

The most useful information I have used towards running a real estate business is the bachelors degree I received from a 4 year accredited university.