@Nicholas PatrickIf you are passionate about starting an innovative tech company and know that you are going to build the next Apple, Facebook, Microsoft.... my answer would be "Perhaps you should drop out", however if you are dropping out to become a full time investor... my answer would be "Absolutely Not?"

Craigslist, realtor.com, and frankly online public records had not been heard of, so pay phones, the real estate photo guide, and the classifieds were my resources.Daily, I would take the bus to the northside Barnes and Nobles in Lakeland.

(Like an A Frame on a river with a barn, horse corral, pond, pasture and a pro-tennis court) Show of hands please........Geez!

But much like the stock market, you're gambling on an Apple or a Google, and may end up with a Theranos;) If you diversify, and one of the deals goes south, your losses will be offset, and you can get out and move into another deal.

Watch their comments on CNBC concerning the iPhones and Apple etc.

You are comparing apples and oranges (buying rental personally vs inside of an IRA/401k).

Hey all wanted to revive this thread a bit as my experience with my current property manager in Bakersfield has thus far been a nightmare (won't answer calls/emails, haven't yet been paid) and so I'm looking to dump them asap but want to make sure I don't make the same mistake twice.Some background - I own a multi-unit in East Bakersfield that nets $2500-3000 a month, so looking for recommendations from people who own similar or smaller type buildings in the area (I think comparing experiences and reviews between my property and a larger 160 unit (for example) is like apples to oranges unfortunately).

The buyer happens to be super lucky as Apple decides to build space ship campus close to his house.

@Melissa Barnes They have a great product but you're better off using a broker who has access to their wholesale pricing matrix and can handle the customer service side of things. 

Apple announced they were building $275 billion dollar plant in China, nobody cared.