I couldn't care less what my 401k or IRA is worth in 35 years because I plan to have plenty of income producing investments that will allow me to keep up my desired lifestyle into perpetuity.If you're perfectly content with your day job and don't want to have REI as your main livelihood in the not too distant future, then contributing to IRA and 401k is certainly a more stable approach.

Not that it can't be done, but yes head aches are much worse from a distant because you have to rely on others for everything.

I've read numerous books, spoke with a variety of both local and more distant investors as well as real estate agents and brokers about the tips and experience they could offer me and of course I will still continue to diligently increase my education in real estate investing.

What do you find most valuable here--Vast pool of experienced investors-Being able to network with local and distant investors-Create partnerships-Learn from others mistakes and successes-Ability to help others-Generate new ideas-Or something completely differentI am still amazed that such a great site exists w/o any pushy sells products and numerous helpful experts that log on each day to help others.

The ideas you have of foreclosure at this point seem like distant dreams.

You and I must be distant cousins or something.

@Bill Gulley's concerns are well justified and one should always be cautious regardless of how close or distant their investment is.

They like to buy the vinyl/brick ranches that are very homogenous and I suppose lend themselves to easy comparison with similar houses in more distant neighborhoods.

I am targeting some fairly distant markets.

I'm hoping for 60-100K (purchase+ rehab) total price, cash flow of at least $200-250 a door.I want A or B city neighborhoods people want to live in, not distant, outlying 'burbs.