You can drastically increase your margin by selling a finished product.  

Try to stay out of property management out of your duties after the first couple units and focus on things that are income productive if you end up with rentals.Good luck to you!

I now currently work as a crop consultant where I assist other farmers with production.

Either type's have products to the job. 

Too much competition in the area from new product, owner is a tired landlord who has mismanaged, has the area changed to more commercial or mainly single family houses in nature?

@Brent CoombsThat's common credit here in Portugal nowadays.

Fortunately, I do have some cool excel skills and products that I believe can benefit any REI.Currently, working on my TX real estate license and completing the course.  

More recently I've led Product at the 2nd largest privately held real estate auction marketplace in the US (yep..behind Ten-X, ahem..I mean far behind in terms of inventory).My goals as an investor is to get a return higher than 10% on my invested capital by flipping properties with a low appetite for risk.

@James BaileyUse a product called Ditra.

I see them on Craigslist for what looks to be refurbished products but there are only a handful of mixed reviews.