If I were to stick to your mentality, I wouldn't even be able to buy clothes at the mall because I'd only be 'benefiting the company' by buying clothes.

I am also from an old school mentality on what the 401k is for, (Retirement).

Go harder and do at least 100 deals(10x Rule)6) Continue learning different investing strategies & improve myself psychically, mentally, and financially. 

I will add to those comments by saying that since the property has been standing there since 2009, I am positive that your offer is not the first one that he has grappled with mentally and rejected in like fashion.

Now that I think about it, I really think they should really classify it as a mental disorder.

I know that historical results does not dictate future performance, but my mentality was that if I can get at least half of its average returns in the last 5 years, I would be a few multiples over what the highest interest-earning savings account would produce. 

I can tell you as a NMLS licensed mortgage banker ( which I am ) . that if your caught giving a kick back you will lose your license and lively hood.I have been in the business for 42 years hundreds of millions in closed transactions and I have never been offered or received a kick back nor would I offer.Nice dinner ... bottle of wine  GREAT service yes .. but little kick backs that just screams of EAst coast every one wants a taste mentality.. it just does not happen with those that have good business ethics that all the folks I deal with have. 

This is the mentality that slows down a lot of investors.

So I'm doing my best to make that happen, but want to sharpen my mentality a little bit too.

I call it the "brain-drain effect", is what I am getting from any 1 deal worth the mental gymnastics of it all, especially the "what-if" factors for say, what if the PM does me wrong, or goes bust, how do I pivot, can I, what kind of brain-drain and time-suck will it be.