I'm not too far from San Diego and always looking for good conferences close by to attend that focus on RE and taxes.

Not every real estate agent is an investor, and not every agent focuses on 1-4 unit properties, let alone has the ability to purchase them.

It sounds like you are circling the relevant issues with focusing on the material participation hours and clearing the threshold for either 500 hours or at least 100 hours and more than anyone else.

I once made the mistake of chasing multiple listings at once, which turned into a disaster.When I shifted my focus to serving one client at a time with honesty, integrity, and accountability, referrals started coming in without any marketing.

Here’s the big question: Is property management all about profit, or should it be more of a customer-focused experience?

So, I'm looking to invest in other markets and trying to focus on one or two so that I can build knowledge over time, but narrowing it down is a challenge. 

@Loren Souers I'd have to run the specific scenarios with the rates and fees, but if you're OK with paying the higher closing costs, the Mortgage 1 deal looks good, particularly if you focus on CoC returns.

Another option is investing in real estate through partnerships or fractional ownership, focusing on properties that yield cash flow or appreciation potential.For long-term growth, consider diversifying into assets such as private equity, tax liens, or even certain types of real estate that offer both capital appreciation and income potential over time.

Perhaps greater focus should be placed there?

I’m passionate about learning and improving my process to provide real value to investors, whether you’re focused on fix-and-flip, buy-and-hold, or any other strategy.Looking forward to your thoughts and insights!