I am also attracted to Real Estate Investing because I can really be involved personally in this investment unlike other investments such as the stock market that have many external factors that you have no control over. 

It's a very equitable way to structure the deal and especially if you're co-investing a significant amount you can keep a lot of the deal yourself, and complete control so it's very clean.

@Ken Moyer someone who is going through a divorce has no control of how and where their assets will end up until the divorce is finalized.

That takes the control of when to do the work out of your hands.

The price of SFH's is not controllable, so I use that variable to estimate the possible severity and length of downturn.Also, I'm not a SFH speculator, I'm a multi-family guy, but I pay attention to this because it's a barometer of rent potential and vacancies, and my calculations and data regarding this are proprietary. 

Such as control of the neighborhood?

Control the conversation and don't let her bait you into any debates. 

Usually a bit more expensive initial install, but it'll allow each unit to control and pay for their own heat and AC. 

Depending on the area pending rent controls and eviction restrictions can be an issue.  

If you deliver outsized value your investors will provide introductions to their friends and you can grow more organically and graduate to other exemptions, control your deals more, lower your cost of equity capital, and have a fund construct that affords the opportunity to provide capital quickly to be more competitive on the buy-side for projects.