Deal flow is king in this market and you either need to have it or to invest with someone who does.Done correctly, passive investing does not simplify life during your learning curve but it does afterwards.If you can predict economic cycles, forget about real estate and short (or long) the stock market...much easier than messing with REI.Stick with good sponsors, cash flow, add value, prudent debt, and reserves...good recipe at any point in the cycle.And if you are investing passively, consider assets classes other than just MF.

RE has been part of my life since the beginning, my father was a developer - very small scale, 20-40 lot neighborhoods which were mostly ranch/split foyer starter homes.

This creates a dangerous work condition for installing and to do any maintenance on the unit. 

Otherwise just enjoy life.

Only if it makes your life easier2a.

The house is in poor condition.

But the refinance would increase our interest payments and balloon the life of the loan.

I realize now that what I have been doing in my life financially is all wrong and NOW more than ever I NEED to build a investment portfolio for our future. 

The house is in poor condition.

Owner in Foreclosure- Value 250k-4br/2ba- amount owed 235k- default amount 7k- monthly mortgage payments $1475- owner wants to walk- condition: great.