And I'd encourage you to think "possibility-wise" instead of "problem-wise" to ideas like this going forward.An example of a middle path might be, say, a beginner investor (like you Troy) who hasn't purchased much property can still use a Realtor for purchasing an off-market deal!

You are in a 1BR apartment comfortably for 1.4K so see if there is a property with say a 2-3 car garage that has a mortgage of about 2-3k a month and you could rent out the garage space to supplement income.

I also remember college professors asking extremely easy questions like this intentionally…and folks getting it wrong.Let’s say a home is for sale for $100,000.

David Greene, host of the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast likes to say, "As an agent, you're never working, but also always working."

I'm no expert, but I can say a little bit about the area.

Or can you carry multiple properties with say a 5% conventional mortgage?

Next level up: if you buy a property, say a 4 family that is all 2 bed units, you rent out the other three, and bring in a roommate for yours.The thing about real estate is it is capital intensive.  

I know the negotiation idea of getting them to say a price first, but this man is just considering selling and I would like the practice anyway of determining the numbers. 

Lets just say a tenant had a pet and the pet pee'd or poo'd inside the unit, Camera wont pick up the smell left behind even though it may look the same.  

Or, you can buy the house and live in it while fix up the 2nd unit then rent them both in a couple of years.The reason I say a couple of years is, one of the benefits of owning the home you live in is the fact that you can take advantage of not having to pay capital gains tax if you sell it within 5 years.