You need to have a solid financial foundation to be successful in real estate, so I would suggest working towards that goal, and then pursuing REI.

Absolutely nothing in real estate is written in stone and even if you are basing your figures on the house next door still buyers are individuals and your deal has to stand alone individually.

@Roman Stefaniw BP believes in self education and peer to peer helping instead of wasting a ton of money on the gurus lol which i do stand by.

There’s one true association website you want to go to and make sure you get the add on needed for financial/contracts.

A private money or hard money lender is going to want to see that you're financially stable and have some 'skin in the game' so to speak, with some of your own capital. 

Additionally I like to evaluate the financial health, capital reserves, and property condition of the association to try to understand whether a large assessment is looming.  

Cardinal Financial will fund out of state investors.

My goal is to eventually become financially independent to the point of being able to work my current job 6 months out of the year.

. $1.1 mil + equity in my property (no liens, and very good credit score)Since I am running a business on my first level of my home, I couldn’t find any financial institution to secure me a HELOC (apart from point.com which doesn’t seem a good deal for me)…apparently, the lenders don’t like mixed commercial/residential type of business (e.g. assisted living).

These will be my first two properties and it will give me a way in the industry, but I also don't want to make a bad financial decision.