I managed the rentals myself up until early this year when I hired a property management firm in order to get some free time back, have some backup so I can go on vacations again,  and in response to the hostile political environment towards landlords in seattle.My long term plan with REI is to get to a large enough door count such that with sufficient equity the net cash flow is enough to live on comfortably  (which I would define as matching my current gross software engineer's salary).    

If you are not experienced hire people that are.The value your family members place on their properties may not be realistic.Figure out what price you need, not them, to make the deal work and  offer accordingly.

If you look at 10 properties a weekend and know your target price range, you'll eliminate some of the uncertainty you're currently experiencing.

A little about myself, I'm an engineer working in the aerospace industry and I am here to start from the bottom and work my way up in the real estate world.  

I am not very experienced but, based on what I have read and heard, it's not a big deal as long as your numbers are good.

In other words, the rental increases we've experienced in the last 24 months are not "speculation" but based on lack of supply and driven by intrastate migration. 

As a novice in this market segment, I have ZERO issues with partnering with a more experienced investor, and giving up a sizable portion of the deal in order to acquire it, and then refinancing them out once I am eligible to do so with the property in our possession.

I would love to speak with experienced real estate developers and home builders to get some guidance on where to start.Thanks!

It does not matter if you are a new, or very experienced.

(I understand the engineering is an additional cost).Thanks!