After nearly 2,000 probate deals I have pretty high tolerance for risk.If you want to get in the game, you'll need to ante-up and occasionally have some serious money at risk. 

This will free up my personal income to expand my rental "empire" and afford to go on the occasional vacation/show/insert something the girl wants to do on a weekend here.

It's more beneficial to the agent than a "thanks for your help, but I did it on my own" phone call or email, better than a "let me take you to lunch", etc because this is how we make a living (and the occasional lunch is nice, but doesn't pay the rent), and you still have an agent (assuming they're willing to do the paperwork for the 1%) who will look out for you.Just my two cents.

All positive stuff..... the addition of some higher end apartments for the occasional Brooklyn or Beacon transport isn't the end of the world.  

Oh ok, you mean, as long as rents keep coming and there is enough money to replace HVACs and deal with the occasional vacancy, it doesn't really matter if the market value sinks or not, because you won't be selling when you are technically under water?

If you're using any kind of specialty software on your computer, you already know that, occasionally, the authors publish new versions, with "up-to-date information," that typically resolve problems that arose with earlier versions.The same can be said about RE.

Jon, I have been thinking about this all day and I can't think of any advantage except my overwhelming urge to rescue restore protect older homes which is probably the #1 no no that advise I have for myself which I occasionally ignore.

The MLS has been pretty tight, but occasionally yields some interesting deals. 

Occasionally on weekends if they were bored or inebriated or both, they would jump off the 2nd floor railing into the pool for giggles.

@Pamela Gordon  I get these requests from time to time and have accepted them occasionally as well.Is it for the same 2-4 workers for the lease term or more like a hotel.