Luckily, I had a good job through the recession and rented out a room to a friend, but I've often thought, if I had lost my job for some reason, I may have ended up losing the house because I had no equity and no real savings. 

Hello All,I currently have a good job with very little expenses.

A realtor's job is to advise and execute the client's (your) plan even if the chance for success is ~0%. 

My job is to protect my client and there is nothing good that can come from allowing the buyer back on the property for any reason (unless they have an inspection contingency or another one lined up in the initial contract).

@Peter Kelly, I invest in Philadelphia but I work my day job in King of Prussia so I’m up that way during the day on week days.

Margaret and Diane so a great job, and their fees are typical. 

I would like to be able to pay salaries to both me and my sister so that we have verifiable income once I leave my 9-5 job.

Flipping is a job and stocks is passive. 

Both parties have done exceptional jobs.

I knew nothing about the basics of real estate and after confiding in my dad that this is what I wanted to do he pointed me to Bigger Pockets, which I then learned by all the educational tools that not only can I do what I know I would love and enjoy doing but that it will give me a life I'd want for myself and my family that no other job could do for me.