I'll throw a little more fuel onto this Kafkaesque Fire. 

They smell like diesel fuel and burn through dollar bills like a 21 year old lottery winner at a strip club. 

Five years ago without any advice from anyone, without reading (I never read), without consulting or using a lawyer, without relying on any forums or online support, I researched and dwelled and agonized for months over the purchase of a small mobile home park for sale at the time...and then made a move. 12 mobile home spots, a rented pole barn and two rental houses.

To add fuel to the fire, we're also closing late because the realtor did not provide the agreement to my lender until 2 weeks after the offer was accepted.

People are coming in and buying properties for prices that I would not touch with a 10' pole, like its nothing, and earning basically net zero on the property which I guess is better than negative cash flow, but as an investor it drives me insane that people are willing to pay these prices.  

I like putting them on metal poles in shopping centers.

My motivation is fueled by the thought of living the life I want to live with my significant other.

The books that really fueled my passion for RE were:1.)

Yes, the one that allows you to put bandit signs up over 10 feet on a telephone pole.

This country needs as many entrepreneurs as we can get to help fuel our economy!