I am doing this late in life but am VERY motivated to get started. 

Keeping ownership stakes consistent will help contribute to this success by keeping all of the partners motivated and invested.

That being said to be motivated to close a deal, there needs to be some money in for the sellers and buyers agents.

It depends on your motivation.

This platform is great for motivated newbies like myself . 

Most are motivated sellers that either cannot wait the average 120 days from on market to closing, or do not want to show the house or have pictures of the house online, maybe they inherited the property from a hoarder in their family that passed.RE agents can certainly still sell these properties, but many don't know how or would rather deal with retail market they know and love, rather than find and grow a network of cash buyers, coordinate clearing out a place with a dumpster or whatever might be involved, and/or various types of creative financing.

@Frank A Castro It sounds like this is the perfect motivation to do what so many of us struggle to do - pick up the phone.

Know that the Board and the HOA PM are NOT attorneys, likely NOT licensed in Real Estate (this does vary by state), and are most likely motivated to keep expenses down.

Good thing is that, it should motivate you to pay down your expenses (debt) as quickly as possible to then build up your war chest (capital) to be able to actively participate in the game. 

@Pepper Bradford congrats on taking the leap and having the motivation.