I did not pay for the course or get any deeper because I figured 1) High return = high risk, and I am at a point where I can't afford to lose that kind of money; and 2) I didn’t see a value in a course- why not network with local investors who need down payment, and work it out directly on a deal that I could more easily underwrite?

Less electricity, no chemicals needed (drain easily and have the proper systems for it), and can have  the same effect. 

You may not be able to easily separate that property from the loan to make that happen. 4.

With $150k cash, if you look at Columbus Ohio, you can easily buy 3-4 positive cash flowing rentals here.

Without solid knowledge on this subject, you can easily end up in hot water. 

I make a decent amount of money nearly from my W-2 (over 100k) but still not enough to easily buy another property this year especially if I have to put down 20%.

Put 2-3 markets overlayed over each other and you can easily see which market is going to be a rollercoaster ride.

These include drafting offering documents, adhering to ongoing disclosure rules, and audits, which can easily run tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Conventional financing is a great option to get started if you have a W2 job or easily verifiable income and you're financing a 1-4 unit property.

If you have the data easily available, can you give us cash flow figures throughout the 13 years?