Now I just read a report they expect them to stay decently steady for next 2-3 years.  

luckily, the company i work for is all over, and I can hopefully transfer to a more steady spot if the you know what hits the fan!

I wanted to spend about $3500 initially, track my progress, and see what I would come up with.

My advise to you would be to make sure you have a good steady job until you are ready to sustain yourself from Real Estate only.

Look forward to seeing your progress and success in the future!

But as you progress in your investing endeavors, you don't necessarily have to tie yourself to one agent between different purchases.  

There's global index funds that can perform and give you a steady return.Good luck. 

I am already cussing myself...I don't watch much TV but I have seen snippets of shows and it appears chefs sometimes take great pride in being ********, maybe I should have weighed that against his steady income and good references???

They like being the bank because they get a whole lot of interest income and some steady payments for a while.  

Our jobs are pretty flexible so we can work remotely and don't have to give up our steady paychecks.Our goal is to reach financial independence at an early age.