I currently work full-time but eventually I would like to do real estate full-time and be completely out of corporate America within the next 5 years.

I have been in Corporate America my entire career and  recently went through a restructure where my position was eliminated. 

This was through security national mortgage company, and not a typical bank.

I have been moving up the corporate ladder with "good jobs" slowly but surely but thanks to Robert Kiyosaki's books, now I'm in search of my own financial freedom; even more so now because of the two wonderful boys I am now a father of (a 2 y/o and a 5 month old).  

Hello BP Nation, I invested in getting REO information from a website only to find out that the information provided is outdated ( won't mention site name here, but message me if you want to know). 

The reason I am thinking franchise is because my experience actually managing properties is minimal, all done while working a high demanding full time corporate job.  

If that's all you are doing and have cold feet, stay in a fund, annuities can be had from insurance agents.Besides the money, I liked knowing my money wasn't backing some sleezy corporation, polluting the ground or air, wasn't used to make people fat or die, that it had a social purpose, built dreams for families, kept an elderly person in their home, gave people a chance to build a nest egg or go into business.

I'll give a foreign national the same advice I would a US citizen who is a new investor...focus on a single market to start.

Local banks or credit unions normally more flexible than national brands and they also understand the local market and demands better.  

We have been in this position before and have been advised by a trusted corporate lawyer to set up this structure as a multi layer protection vehicle.