In the past month and half I've had 1 SFR and 2 duplexes under contract.  

Dont let them take a mile.  

I'm half way through it and it's amazing.

Ryan Rogers 500k with no cash flow is a pretty high leverage, I live in the SouthCoast region of MA, there are much better deals and better numbers if you look as little as 30 miles south from where you are.

Being on the investor side of syndication would be a great way to start for anyone who lives in a hot market and can't exactly pick up and move to start full time in RE, heck just reading an executive summery that was put together by a half way decent RE syndicator is excellent education in and of itself!  

I will cut back on my work hours (if I can) during the month of March and half of April study real estate and complete the "home inspection courses" need to become Certified.My entire drive for real estate is not only to have long term retirement income but to own my one foam filled penalized factory, then to construct fast built home in which a home is 100% competed in one to three weeks.  

Darrick,If you want to sell, figure what you are into the portfolio for and what you want to make on it..Then take gross rents and divide it in half for the annual income.divide it by the purchase price.

Even though you may pay 11 or 12% interest plus a few points, that total cost should be less than offering your half or more of the deal.

I'm willing to travel up to 50 miles, and invest my time and sweat equity into getting things done. 

If the deal is for $140k all cash (and you get $40k right back), you're probably OK. but any half-wit loan officer the tenant uses will see right through what you did, which is to artificially bump up the market history of the property to influence the appraisal and mortgage size the tenant is applying for.