For rentals, you just need to find out if it's in a decent area, what the cashflow will be, and what the economy around it is like - is it diverse or is it dominated by only one industry?

you can balk all you want about the agents perspective but success is never handed to you in any line of work. in any industry the hustlers and grinders are rewarded and the others skating by don't last long or learn how to live on raamen noodle and juggle car payments with other debt. 

Currently I work as a industrial painter while my wife is going through the process of joining the Navy here in southern Illinois I have about 60k I've saved I'm 24 and have been looking into getting started in real estate investing.

- That is the primary question most people ask in the real estate industry.

Your experience in both real estate and the banking industry gives us great insight on both industries. 

I am really going back on forth on which industry I would like to go into.

Newbie investor/ student of the industry with a lot of real estate knowledge thanks to BP and my real estate licensing course.

Many of us in the industry are working to normalize these structures the world over.

There are many, many wonderful and outstanding people in this world who make our industry fun and worthwhile to be a part of.

Technology is changing and disrupting almost all industries and yet people will always need housing even if robots are doing half of our jobs)3.