With my own model, instead of downloading one from the internet, I'm able to accomodate it more easily to my own wants and needs as well as give myself a little credibility when it comes to analyzing deals if I want to present them to mentors, potential investors, and family and friends that might be interested in contributing investment capital.

The biggest question being, do I need a partner or a mentor?

Most of the folks I mentor there become accidental landlords, and that pays off, because they’ve lived in the house long enough for rent values to surpass their holding costs over the course of several years before moving out of the home and renting it out. 

So true...Moving forward, I'm looking to networking with people in my area and abroad)and would love to find a great mentor.  

Aside from learning the market I have also been trying to build a network.I have been keeping in close contact with my mentors, I informally have 4 right now, and I have also been attending CREIA meetings as well as a real estate investment meet up group.

She can have this set up to be an automatic payment and it's an easy $104 every month, a small latte every day for 15 years.I wouldn't wait to jump in but I would pass along some advice that my mentor told me.

We have attempted networking, sent maybe 5 messages to locals on BP and they got labeled as spam, attended some REI groups, and even offered to pay for mentoring- question/answering sessions on BP. 

Very eager to learn as much as possible and gain new ideas, mentors, opportunities.

It is a great pitch that they give but in the end this is not a mentoring program.

@Scott N undefinedA great way to hold yourself accountable is to get a partner/mentor.