Don't get distracted, it's a money make for you and there will be other opportunities to buy your own property. 

Go getters or entrepreneurs are easily distracted by shiny object syndrome.

I see people distracted with the new "hot" market, the new twist on a strategy they can implement, the cool way to source deals, the shiny new app, working with a realtor or a lender even when they aren't producing results.

Please do not let valid yet potentially negative sounding feedback distract you from taking action starting at whatever level you currently find yourself.

My biggest concern is that it will distract me from my personal investments. 

At this time I want to focus on Rochester and get at least one under my belt and not get distracted by the next best thing.

I'm easily distracted so I make a more conscious effort to really focus; and boy, I've really been focusing on real estate in my spare time when I'm not building apps.Story time: I moved to NY six months ago from San Francisco, and I'm currently renting in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

But for me they were pretty lame.I bet there are more people making it big without such distractions vs people that made it big because of such meetings.

As a long-term buy-and-hold investor, that's going to be some combination of cash flow and CoC return.So, don't be distracted: Chasing appreciation will only break your heart, and occasionally (as in 2007), your entire portfolio!

Either way, it gobbles up money, you cant track it (the way I want it to track), it has too much distractions when everyone posts clips of naked kitties and magic tricks...seriously..