The fact that they have received so much insight by being able to watch and observe you will open up a whole lot of opportunities for them if they so choose. 

I know several investors who choose to represent themselves, but they often end up netting less than they would if they had an agent.

***How did I choose the lenders?

Take short-term rentals - they do provide several tax benefits, but they are hard to run and very hard to succeed at so people make the mistake of choosing the tax vehicle, get the benefit, and then lose money on the investment and hate it.

Does anyone have a similar experience of living in the heart of a city but choosing to mostly invest in the urban sprawl outside?

Meaning the at the end of the lease, the tenant has the option to buy (but not the obligation) whereas the seller has the obligation to sell if the the buyer chooses to buy (works just like selling stock options!)

I'm assuming you haven't achieved mastery in all 3 categories, but realistically you can choose from 2 of the 3 categories.

Choose your day and you can still primp a little about your smartness, but overall . . .So, asking as someone just now studying crypto seriously -- and admittedly motivated by that risky fear of missing out -- what are your current thoughts on the topics of bitcoin generally and/or blockchain in RE?  

And with 1st liens, our warranty works the same way but some investors choose to keep the property over getting their money back, so our buy back rate can even be lower with them.

If you choose to sell, consider post-retirement timing, installment sales, or a 1031 exchange to mitigate taxes.