Looking for perspectives on whether REITs are worth investing?

To echo some of the statements here, considering your position with the perspective of where I'm currently at, note investing (investing in mortgages) is a nice way to get into investing with sizable (one might say...bigger?)

You have to put these numbers in perspective.

I've visited the property and repairs are minimal, only including new appliances, fresh paint, and carpeting.

I think you may have your perspective a little skewed.  

The course will be done from an entrepreneur's perspective versus an employee's viewpoint).

(Fresh paint on all walls, doors, trim, cabinets.

I solved that by having a contractor who I trust--and that just happened by accident, but it sounds like you may have one too.A little mental game I play with myself to put risks in perspective, is I ask how many shifts I would have to pick up to cover a worst case loss. 

Every year one more house on Holton has a fresh coat of paint, a new porch, roof, landscaping etc...

and now that the walls are opened up I am meeting with the engineer on Monday to figure out what we need to do from a structural perspective (i.e.