Starting in REI can already be a little nerve racking, so I recommend doing your first deal on the easiest mode you can to build your confidence and build your skill set.If I had to do it all over again, I'd buy a personal home with 3-5% down then repeat every 12-18 months.

One person booked at the normal rate instead of what we quoted and the other somehow had a pet fee attached which we still don’t understand since we do not have that as an option.  

Personally I have 25 units and scaling up and generally speaking it takes me about 5 hours per month to do everything.

Even if they charge you a few hundred or $1-$2K for a initial financial plan. 4) On a $5.5M portfolio, something like this would be very appealing to me personally, as a thought starter: - $1.25M home, car, and "toys", paid off- 250K in cash- $2M in stocks- $2M in paid off or lightly levered real estateThis is just me, and I'd personally view the name of the game as wealth preservation and maximizing enjoyment of life with this level of wealth, all liquid, all at once.

As that will at least help folks that you reach out to know that you are a real person, with a picture and professional bio.

I always recommend that anyone getting started attend in person meet ups.

Thanks @Johnny MartinMy suggestion is to partner with a like minded person... and preferably someone like a family member who really knows you... a dad... an uncle, etc that understands the value of passive investing.  

If you can't keep control of your personal finances, you are highly unlikely to succeed in real estate investing.

I personally wouldn't entertain the gift option as I think its an unnecessary step and it can take significantly longer. 

Personally I don't like to do less than 20%.