My main handicap is that I don't know anything about Houston neighborhoods and opportunities, other than that it blew up with the oil field activity and now I might find some good opportunities if oil stays low.

Syndications and/or passive investments that generally qualify are often structured as one of the following: Sponsored (syndicated) Tenant-In-Common (TIC) Investment Properties Sponsored (syndicated) Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) Investment Properties Certain sponsored (syndicated) oil and gas interests/rightsSponsored (syndicated) Net Lease Properties (NNN) often through a DST Non-sponsored (syndicated) Net Lease Properties (NNN) acquired through a real estate broker There are brokers that specialize in syndicated TICs and DSTs. 

The numbers need to work, but don't use the excuse that "this market is too hot" or "oil is crashing, I'd better wait".  

In my area, people are starting to hate having oil heat (actually anything other than natural gas), so when we look at houses heated with fuel other than gas, we check with the gas company to see if there is a main close enough to tie into.

I'm Canadian so no prob -- live in Alberta so no premiums at all; you guys buy our oil and our oil buys our healthcare!

Like-Kind Real Property  The following list of real property asset classes represents interests in real property that usually qualify as like-kind property for 1031 Like-Kind Exchange purposes: Single Family Residential Property Multi-Family Property (Apartments) Commercial Office Properties Retail Shopping Properties Industrial Warehouse Properties Triple Net Lease (Net Lease or NNN) Investment PropertiesAgricultural (Farm) Properties Vacant Undeveloped Land Oil & Gas InterestsMineral RightsWater RightsAir Rights Easements in perpetuityLeases with a remaining life, including options, of 30 years or more Tenant-In-Common "TIC" Investment Property InterestsDelaware Statutory Trusts "DSTs" Investment Property Interests Vacation rental properties (income producing)

I had a triplex where all units were on oil.

I liked your bit about asking, "the squeaky wheel gets the oil" as my mom has told me! 

Here comes my question.I have about 35k liquid cash on me for REI and I would like to invest now that prices are low (as i heard) due to the oil price drama.

For example, Houston and Wyoming were booming for the last several years, but recently have had a downturn due to the dropping of the oil price and the damage that's caused to the fracking industry.