Then I did some intense affirmations and prayers, and attracted some fabulous tenants.All in all, I'd say you're on the right path, but there are many possible pitfalls to keep on top of.

@Damien Christian   well its just like vetting any business you need to make sure the PM is reputable.My point is if you talk to 5 managers in a city... they should all pretty much align on what zip codes can be managed reasonably and what ones are management intensive or they flat out won't manage there.

And then ongoing, monitoring your investment, but I agree that is much less time intensive than actively managing an asset.

It's more time-intensive if you manage it yourself, but in Colorado Springs, Airbnb is a good way to juice your rents quite a bit. 

Currently tiny homes building is a lot more labor intensive because there arent factory lines for manufacturing.

It's cash intensive, but it's a great tool to help you close quickly and get the mortgage after the fact (immediately; without seasoning).

I'm new to REI so I have been doing intensive research about what niche I should focus on to the different investment strategies as well as what kind of properties to invest in.

My typical first time commercial retail buyer is a doctor, or someone who sold a business, high level executive, or moving out of a more intensive asset to own and manage.

Don't take this wrong way but something isn't quite right if you're intense marketing for 2 years with absolutely no bites.

Utilizing option 2 is a better option for properties closer to home, in areas where you have intense knowledge in contacts or for those with many years of experience in the real estate investing space.