I am left to wonder, though some investors with SFR's are doing it successfully, is the risk too high for the reward?

I made my calendar available for twelve months because OTAs tend to reward open and available calendars.

In my mind, the liability and possibility of harming the seller outweigh the rewards.  

Crypto is a volatile asset, but the rewards are magnitudes higher than any other traditional investment.

Though I would caution you on hard money lending until you understand the industry a bit better, that can be very rewarding but you have to be able to do your due diligence on deals because you're turning over your hard-earned money to an individuals project, often a flip. 

And reap the rewards in descending rents and tenancy.  

I'm sure a lot of hard work went into building it up and cool that you get to reap the rewards!

It wasn't easy and sure as hell was not as frightening as your journey, but it was rewarding nonetheless. 

Patience and discipline reaps its rewards. 

Real estate investment can be incredibly rewarding, between the cashflow, appreciation, and tax benefits, it truly is the greatest wealth creation tool.