Much to my surprise, the author himself was not there--so I figured, they just borrowed the copyrighted trademark "rich dad."

I'm quite surprised, because they are the fourth property manager I have used in Birmingham and the first I have been thrilled with.

You'd be surprised how often a deal can happen using this strategy but it is also important to run the numbers and make sure your COC return, etc are in line with your expectations.Probably the lowest risk is partnering because a seasoned investor will verify the deal (hence their participation) and likely take care of the initial money required.

Were there any unexpected hurdles during the rehab or resale process?

:If Bitcoin hitting $100,000 per coin does not surprise “them”, and if Bitcoin really can hit $100,000 per coin, then Bitcoin today price of $11,000 is very cheap.

A "neutral" cash flow property will likely wind up negative many months/years because there's always something unexpected! 

Risk Management: Be aware of the risks involved, such as unexpected renovation costs, property management challenges, or changes in the housing market.

If you develop a great relationship with local credit unions, you'll be surprised by what all they're capable of.   

While running a large group of small landlords in Philly, i have visibility into the full realm of challenges that new investors face - and some are quite overwhelming and totally unexpected because they jumped in without fully understanding what they jumped into. 

I'm a little surprised at the response you are getting from some of our colleagues.