was it poor choice of notes.. or do you think it was straight up stealing money from their investors ?  

If you haven't read Rich Dad, Poor Dad, read it asap.

you will find tons of examples, poor signage, little security, worn paint, no one answers the phone, etc. start on google maps, street view, then start driving. you'll know it when you see it.Public Storage/Extra Space Storage it aint!

This was due to asbestos abatement, sewer line replacement, scope creep, and poor planning.Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Several things to consider: 1) One of the main purposes of segmenting your assets into separate LLC's is so that your personal net worth or equity in other business ventures or properties isn't exposed, so unless you have a high net worth or a lot of equity in a property, it might not be worth bothering going the separate LLC route, especially when it restricts your financing of the property.  2) Most any commercial financing you get from a local bank for a small property is going to have recourse anyhow and require that you sign a personal guarantee, so you're still personally on the hook to the bank even in the case of a commercial loan.  3) If you're a newer investor and buying a deal that's tight on cash flow, or if you don't have a ton of cash sitting in the bank already, your greatest risk factor as an investor is your investment failing economically due to poor financing terms or not operating the investment properly, not because you get sued. 

If they treat you poorly in the sales process, they will treat you poorly when your locked in a 1 year contract.

My son just joined the Navy and now that I’m an empty nester I want to make a shift and bet on myself!

I would love to meet some new members, young or no, whose goals might include a solid cash flow and providing good value to renters who are exploited or poorly treated by unresponsive landlords or large corporate operations.  

@DeBret McGee IIYour best bet is to secure a deal with creative financing, seller financing or meter lease options.

Hell, I might be even-steven if we had one, and I'd bet money @Russell Brazil and @Nathan Gesner would be there with me despite the fact they're two of the smartest dudes in here because they're not soft pedalers.