It’s similar to us SF landlords that self-managed to cut our teeth and held on to the properties until the market allowed better deals to be found where we could cover property management costs.

It might reduce the impact when someone rear ends you, but it doesnt keep the bugs out of your teeth as you drive along.

@Ryan WrightSome additional options you can consider, if they are applicable to your personal & financial situation: 1) re-shuffle your portfolio allocation e.g. reallocate from securities (stock, bonds) to RE2) borrow from your 401K (consider the tax implication of repay loan using after-tax dollar + need to repay loan in full within a short period if you part way with your employer or are terminated)3) borrow from your cash value life insurance policy 4) tap into equities from your primary or rental properties5) good old fashion credit card - I still get some 0% APR promotions for at least 15-18 months from some companies.

Money can be made both on the interest rate spread, origination charges, selling the new loans etc.In a falling interest rate environment the incentive isn't there, plus as rates drop then the value of existing mortgage bonds goes up.

Not to mention you can't really get any return from other places to park your money like savings accounts or bonds.

This is what we call "teeth" and we've never had a problem since this clause has been in our lease. 2) You won't be able to control human behavior, in terms of the condition the departing tenants keep the home in. 

., only allows me to invest in stock/bonds) to a self-directed IRA, so I can use those funds to purchase properties.

What makes a self-directed IRA custodian different is that they are not purely connected to the public exchanges and limited to investing in stocks, bonds and funds, but rather have the staff training and paperwork to document the IRA's investment in the more individualized transactions that occur when investing in real estate, notes and other non-traditional assets.

Bonding with my employees against the common enemy--me. 

@Tracey Bond I would begin by learning how to wholesale property first.