Start looking at properties and running numbers for practice and to hone your skills of spotting a good deal.4.

This is not a bad thing as long as it is a healthy correction and soft landing.  

My 2 part test, to see if someone has the math skills to take advantage of what REI has to offer (that other investments don't), is if that "someone" can tell me:1 - what this equation means, and how it applies to REI                                     x = y^ 2 - What is the significance of this number sequence                             1073741824...and the two answers are related. 

I recently had a contractor come out to a property in Whittier, CA (1640 sq ft home on a 6400 sq ft lot) that needs a complete gut rehab and below is the soft quote he gave me and everything he'll cover for $170K. 

I'm hoping to find a brokerage in Orange County, California (southern CA) that can utilize my skills despite my limited availability. 

You will be able to guess what you can do with you skills and the skills of the people around you. 

If you start in multifamily, you may not end there, but you will take the skills you learned with you.

Maybe you are not a skilled closer.

Would be a great skill to pick up for sure!

The portfolio lender is the "commercial lender," in this case and can free up the FNMA loans that are at or near the 10 properties limit or the portfolio/commecial lender can do as Grant suggests and be used for subsequent purchases as well and skill FNMA mortgages all together.