Everyone has the same number of hours in a day, it is how we use those hours that determine our level of success.I attempted the path of "buying lunch or coffee".

I sold my company to a national PMC named PURE,  they have a large footprint in California and are always looking for people at most levels. 

What was their level of speed & competence? 

Of course, a person's checking fluctuates, but most people have a general level that they hover around - myself and my wife included. 

That just adds a level of complexity to everything.I think there is so much opportunity in the US, that why would you try to complicate everything x10, but investing in someplace like Spain. 

We add up the scores and get a total score that reflects the level of risk the applicant presents.

Dan your market/assets/tenants are on a totally different level than a good majority of the rest of the country. 

At a high level, real estate will make you about 9-10% (a 6% cap rate plus 3-4% in appreciation). 

Birmingham’s market is diverse, with various areas offering different levels of potential and risk, so getting boots on the ground can be one of the best investments you make in terms of time and money.I’d be happy to connect and share more about what I’ve learned from my experience managing properties in this market. 

Since you're analytic savvy, run some high level amortization schedule scenarios to see how much equity you gain through annual principal payments.