The older homes there aren't as bad (2k to 3k). 

And most people don't understand that S8 rents can change, usually on an annual basis as tenants are reassessed.How bad can it change?

If things are tight right now, maybe consider a side hustle or extra job until rent adjustments give you more breathing room.

That's not a bad idea - just strike a business contract.

Active real estate investors who can't get comfortable not being in the driver's seat, people who just don't like real estate as an investment, those who can't get comfortable with the risks, those who just don't understand syndicate investments, those who have heard bad things about this type of investing from others, and people who have invested in syndicates and experienced bad results.

I ended up having about 10 abandoned vehicles / RV's (some looked like meth labs...think Breaking Bad).What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

One without the other, is a bad deal. 

I needed to do a minor variance, which wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be and my architect did most of the heavy lifting.

Some or great, some are bad and many in between.

I am not saying that to brag, the reason I say it is we all wish we could get into real estate at a younger age - but we are all different and depending on your level of risk, sometimes being patient is not a bad thing as its a marathon not a sprint.