There are plenty of varying job opportunities in the real estate industry.Ask yourself: What skills do you have?

I acquire properties for my brokerage to wholesale so the software can help me in my job and personally.

If it's on your credit, you are on the hook for it.However, it shouldn't effect the loan process too much, a simple Letter Of Explanation should be able to get the job done with the correct investor. 

NAR considered job growth, financing, renter who plan to purchase a home, migration to these metro markets, number of renters who are planning to buy as well as homeowners who plan to move.

This will increase the return above what can be obtained on a passive investment.The flipside of having the power to control everything is that it can be alot of work (and a full-time job if a person is putting in sweat equity).

Many people don't want to self manage from out of state, and professional managers can suck up alot of the cash flow, and not do as great of a job as you would've hoped. 

It is hard and will be a full time time job to do it right. 

The big pros are the strong job market (lots of major employers), good population growth, and still-reasonable entry prices.

My wife and I have a W2 job. 

I work 2 jobs. 1 to live off, and the other for down payments.