They have  experience, expertise, skills, knowledge and often have personal relationships with lenders and other agents that can give you a competitive edge.

That would include: how much capital you have, how much work you want to put into something, your risk tolerance, your skill set, and ultimately your goals.

I am currently working in a mexican restaurant and frankly, that is not propelling me any further or giving me any beneficial skills for becoming an investor.

He also demonstrated great negotiation skills, and we actually went under contract below asking price on a already good deal.

I am a financial analyst at a top 5 corporate bank so I have strong analysis skills that I could assist other investors with if needed.

You need to find a super targeted niche that you know well and match that with your unique skills to come up with a plan to find deals.

Concentrate on getting your degree if it is for a decent saleable skill. 

Depending on the submarket, many of these properties offer significantly higher Cap Rates than multifamily or industrial - both of which are arguably overheated asset types at the moment - because the market incorrectly assumes that all retail is risky.Before you invest in a strip center, the main caveat is that it requires a dramatically different skill-set to operate these types of properties so do your homework first or find an operating partner with experience.Good luck!

A two person paint crew can easily finish a house in a few days (starting with a primer coat, ceilings, walls, trim, and interior doors).If you really don’t know what you are doing, maybe do not do it since a bad job will cost you in the long runIf you seriously plan on doing work yourself in the long run, then definitely do it to build up your experience and skill.

Being in the trades is a huge advantage as the relationships and skills you develop will pay dividends for the rest of your investing career.