For funding, explore options like FHA loans, personal savings, or creative financing, and focus on New Jersey markets that align with your goals, such as Newark for rentals or commuter towns for house hacking.

This deal proved to be the perfect balance of financial gain and personal enjoyment.

Quote from @Jessie Dillon: just my 2 cents.. i'm not a fan of the syndication model. there are better ways to invest more passively where you have more of a say in what goes on, can achieve higher returns, and can have your personal interests at a higher priority. 

Highly suggest coming out to some of the local chicago IN-PERSON meetups! 

I am personally buying a lot in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Do you sell / buy real estate in Mexico personally? 

Personally, I advocate for a long-term investment strategy and would recommend investing the funds, provided you are comfortable with the expected return on investment over time.

I'll let others chime in on their experiences, but from a motivational perspective, I think attending live events and getting the "conference high" is something that only happens through in-person connections and being in the same room with investors who are eagerly pursuing their real estate/financial goals. 

When enrollments tanked and classes were no longer being offered in person, the student housing industry was cratered.

Questions they will have is who is the owner, what experience do they have, is their key person insurance against them etc.