I would suggest reading up on the fundamentals of the REI craft in a book like Gary Keller's "Million Dollar Real Estate Investor" (and there are many more good ones out there but that's just the one I've read), and even a precursor book like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" to get a firmer foundation of general financial acumen, and then once you get a general idea, strike out and buy a property. 

Since this is a discussion forum for real estate investors and those who are either the business or wish to be, I'll offer this:Before becoming a lender, I'd certainly make sure I had bother a thorough understanding of real estate principals (fundamentals) as well as the laws concerning ending to individuals for your state.Of particular concern is if there's any chance the loan is secured by a 1-4 unit residential dwelling and used and occupied by the borrower.

Frank Roessler of Ashcroft believes that the main risk for the two latest deals are operational: that is, the fundamentals of the loan, the submarket, and the value-add opportunities are so propitious that the main risk is that they drop the ball.

Not everyone is given the resources or skills to own property and become a landlord, but we fulfill a fundamental need that people have, the need for shelter.

With the stricter lending requirements that have been in place and the jobs that are being created (about 3000 per month), we still have healthy fundamentals. 

If you don't have good answers for the first two, I'd suggest you get those fundamentals out of the way first.

The other outfits seem solid but I'm not  fan of the market fundamentals (Cleveland, etc.).

Rents almost never go down if you are in fundamentally solid markets.

Think fundamentals, PnL, balance sheets, production frontier. 

I respect your decision and the direction you take based on those fundamentals.