If you start growing rapidly multiple LLC's to spread risk might be a good idea, but I wouldn't worry about that for a small investor.If you're starting a real estate business that generates income other than rental income, I would recommend an S-corp so that you don't pay self employment tax on all income, just payroll tax on salary you take as employees of your S Corp.Hope this helps!

If you are going to self manage, you HAVE to understand fair housing laws.

You have a lot of options at your disposal, but I think you really need to sit down and think about what your REI goals are, then invest some time into self education to help you clearly define your path forward.  

It is not that hard and I enjoy self managing.

Either way, once you start investing, you might find that friends start asking you to be their agent As far as self study, the information is out there.

I would be prohibited in doing other deals my self (not the case for him).

To all the experienced investors out thereIf you were to go back in time and talk to your aspiring real estate investor self, finish any of these sentences.

My wife and I plan to move to a bigger house next year and I'm undecided whether to sell the townhouse, invest the proceeds in a syndication or keep the townhouse as a rental and self manage.

Is anyone working with  Self Directed IRAs?

The reason for this actually goes into some of the other common factors.At the moment I own my primary residence and 4 rental properties with 10 total units, putting me dead center in mom and pop territory.They Are Self FundedMom and pop investors in general fund their real estate acquisitions using their own money.