I would also press you to find out what number is it for you that will get you out of the rat race?

Then when you find a deal, you have a second pair of eyes on it (the lender) and you can negotiate more confidently knowing you have the financial backing.Finding deals without having money lined up is often (not always) putting the cart before the horse.

This led me to many other interests like passive income & ditching the rat race.

The tortoise and the hare race each other, do you remember who wins the race?

Its like putting the cart before the horse. 

@Christopher Rodriguez slow boring investing is how to get out of the rat race... rentals.  

The basics are not hard to learn and it doesn't take that much time to grasp the understanding of why and how things are done.Then you can select what area of real estate is best for you, but trying to do just one thing you'll be like the horse with blinders on passing by opportunities. 

I hate to kick a dead horse, but as a newbie...

I'm really looking into getting out of the rat race and have come to the conclusion that RE is the way out because it's a proven method.

Am also stuck in the 'rat race' as Robert Kiyosaki puts it in his book, Rich Dad Poor Dad.