About a month ago I really started to educate myself on Real Estate Investing and it didn't take long to find BP.

.#1  Real estate is a long game , not quick and fast like the stock market (unless you are doing flipping or wholesaling)#2  Leverage - lending is becoming looser.   

@Michael BreedloveIt's all about educating yourself, investing in yourself and surrounding yourself with a great team.

I understand that leverage means more risk but at the same time more return on investment.

ROI is much more useful as a barometer for comparing your investment to those of other investors as it eliminates leverage in the calculation (though it still includes interest rates & that may make comparisons different).Hope that helps!

As for cash flow or pay off early, I just posted a longer answer to another thread just started about leveraged vs unleveraged. 

With a little education and a fair amount of time you could have something awesome.The other route is for a “paid” version like Quickbooks.

This community is such a supportive resource, and the opportunities for education are rich.

Interesting thread, thanks for all of the color @David SillamanMy question is about using leverage for these QOZ deals. 

Also, you generally cant leverage since banks won't allow you to fly uninsured!