For the record I am a staunch capitalist and was relatively wealthy before my ex wife blew our life up a handful of years ago. 

Compare the two strategies by the numbers, one guy ends up significantly more wealthy in 10+ years than the other.

It is funny because people will weigh in from both sides, but my personal opinion from witnessing my family gain wealth is that never selling was their best option.  

I work hard just getting in and have become very good at raising the remaining cash needed to close.I would start hanging out at "owner clubs, and wealth managment meetings" where wealthy older couples that own mutifamily units do.  

And I have a wealthy friend I could potentially partner with or get funding from, maybe.

I cant even imagine what that would be like, (if it was one person that owns).Now the people I am working with take out lines of credit from a network of extremely wealthy people they know, buy huge apartment complexes and somehow make money and pay back the hard money loan.

WOW - this reminds me of me 40 years ago when I had second thoughts about investing - everyone wanted to discourage me from getting into the real estate investing industry - as you say - Frustrating road blocks to my first dealI know how you feel -There came a time in my quest for real estate wealth - I said NO - NO - I am finished with the "Road Blocks" with the bloody gate keepers - with relatives telling me to get a job - NO MORE!

I have met with the owners of premier when they were premier and seen there set up live.. its a HUGE money business.... and all about up sell.the TV personalities are no different than say other celebs that lend their names to products.especially in the wine business.. they don't own the wineries they just lend there name and make a rake on each bottle sold.I suspect El Moussa's make north of 5 million a year lending their name.. and you can see the marketing company makes a bundle.. when I met with premier the guy mentioned in this article he was busy getting ready to go to france for a year as his daughter wanted to study there LOL.These education systems are steeped in MLM roots.. same methodology.. tug at your heartstrings talk about doing it for your family.. how you DESERVE to be wealthy blah blah

Most of them had a business and ran it as such at the time they were wealthy.  

But building wealth is worth doing some of those things