I highly recommend joining some of the local meetup groups and attending networking events. 99% of my deals are from word of mouth / networking, so it's power is undeniable.

After all this, I strictly use word of mouth to find contractors and have mediocre results with this.  

Sounds like you would be happier located in am area with very tight, regulated zoning.

If you don't have the money to lose, crowdfunding may leave a sour taste in your mouth.

I have 23 units in Fayetteville, NC and I couldn't be happier with how things are going.

p=192.It takes some time building trust and relationships to form a syndication group, but the sky is the limit and word of mouth will compound your efforts.

From a newbie to others...I thought the same and said, nahhhh, I can wait for cards...Well, as soon as you open your mouth about your motives, you will be asked for a card...I ended up giving a business card from my day job and it didn't look so good...So the next day I setup my name, website and business cards are in the mail now....I didn't think it was a big deal until it was a big deal...grab some cards, even if they don't have much info on them, it's enough to let people get in touch with you!

Just purchased a second home in Lakewood, CO and couldn't be happier because CO is awesome and want to live there full time one day, but it definitely feels like I bought at the top of the market and that CO will slow down in growth for a while as other nearby states legalize pot.

Before I purchased the property, upon introducing myself to the neighbor, the first words out of her mouth were "oh, we are going to have problems".

You can listen to testimonials and stories all day from their websites, but these days I always want to here it from the horses mouth.