There are always other options too, but you have to decide if you are comfortable with them: family, friends, etc.....

And make sure you feel comfortable with them.

See what you can find by driving for dollars and reaching motivated sellers off-market in places you know well and are comfortable with and expand from there.

I quickly realized that working for the "man" was not going to give me an early or comfortable retirement.  

It may not be comfortable (like I image online dating would be haha) but it is worthwhile and effective. 

Hopefully it will make the owner comfortable with the likelihood of your being able to close.  

Hooking up with a really good HML in your immediate area can bring you some nice returns.. there is no leverage but the returns are good and you can drive by and look at your collateral and make sure your comfortable..

I'd like an area that I feel comfortable living in, and that would attract an acceptable pool of tenants.

@Peter Bowen Great input, i have been trying for years to pencil the numbers on a multi's to make money even close to my singles, i think one of my hold backs is my own risk tolerance/debt adversity,  and I will not do partners, so its me and my wife. i currently am  running 23% debt on $1.1MM portfolio, and have set an internal cap of 40% I know this goes against most common belief, but its what i am comfortable with.

Living in Denver is expensive, I started blowing through cash faster than I was comfortable with.