so if I’m in 35% fed and 7.8% state and 7.5% social security that I pay as an employee I DONT need to pay that on rental income so wouldn’t I need to make that much more to keep $9000 after tax from w2 ? 

Which background check sites are used for hiring employees rather than tenants?

In our market, I figure I'd need 65 units to afford to pay a w-2 employee to manage for me-- but I probably won't since I really don't mind managing.

@Jonathan Foster nice to meet you!

Zillow, apartments.com, outreach to local companies that common sense suggests would have project based 1-3 month employees.

Remember, everyone starts somewhere, and acknowledging your beginner status can foster genuine connections with seasoned investors who are often more than willing to offer guidance and share their experiences.Local meetups serve as invaluable hubs of knowledge, bringing together like-minded individuals who are active in the same market you aim to enter or are already operating in.

As a postal employee, he has a guaranteed pension, but not a lot of savings -- I know, complications, complications).

In this case you just have to deal with added hassle of long wait times for inspections, crazy accounting, government employee turnover, etc.    

It is worth mentioning that my journey into real estate commenced without any formal education in the field; rather, I relied predominantly on extensive research and avidly consumed the invaluable insights shared through the Biggerpockets podcast.With each venture, my interest in real estate investment continues to grow, fostering a profound desire to acquire more properties.

How does a 1 employee small business afford that?