I'm also employed full time as a marketing executive in the medical device industry; real estate is a passion and pursuit but isn't my j-o-b.Near my investment properties is a 37-unit  with paved off-street parking lot, combined with a few rental houses that are adjacent to it.

I have always been interested in real estate investing, but the security of full time employment & raising my family took priority.

Exterior walls standing, new roof, interior walls, siding, no landscape, no patio, with 2 car garage, you're looking around 200-250/sf if you want high end. i like those size projects.

I chose to venture down the path of a real estate agent because it requires less money to start-up... and it becomes very difficult to qualify for conventional loans without a solid employment or credit history. 

I'm currently employed full time and I have been in the Supply Chain/Logistics business since 2003. 

Small sample size in comparison to all, however, all of them overpromised and underdelivered.

@Fred Heller and @John Thedford I was told by another investor filling the pool here with the size can cost me up to $5,000.I walked out of the deal to avoid the troubles and there are many other things to fix as well that are non-pool related.Thanks for the advices!

A couple agents that work at my brokerage also have other employment.

As I think about creative ways to obtain my first property, I can't help but think a little outside the box.I own a lawn maintenance business and while we mainly deal with residential (better money), the company can handle small to mid sized commercial properties.

The market will not support cash flow on a rental this size so I don't consider that an option.