Even if you only close say 30k in commisions for the year, thats a fat down payment.

My property acquisition is going to be more of a slow burn, and figured while we are managing our own properties it would be beneficial to have PM as a revenue stream as well. 

(A few years later, after I moved out, my renters burned the house down, the week I was signing refinancing paperwork - insurance disaster, but that's a story for another time.)My next purchase was a friend of a friend and the owners just wanted to get back what they bought the house for... in 1954.

I don't want to go this route in the future to avoid burning my credit score.Max

Half of my devices burned at home after power surge (overvoltage) So you have to choices: be prepared to pay the money for new devices or you can mount protection system.

I paid off 11 rentals last year and have a fat 'opportunity fund' but still have a primary mortgage. 

What about when you are sued for everything and lose your home.After a tenant burned down one of my houses with kerosene heaters and could have killed the kids had they not been staying with the other parent on new years eve...

I do not want to get "Torched" financially for a first time investor, OOS.I want to do things right starting out of the gate, I don't want to be that one who posts "Here's my experience in getting burned in investing OOS for the first time".

So they tend to try and do everything themselves.As they get further along they tend to learn you get further by doing what you do best and delegating other activities. it is actually usually more freeing to delegate and give up some control then try to do everything yourself as you tend to burn out faster.I have learned things I am okay to good at others are EXCELLENT at.

I saw many brokerages get cocky last upside and grew too much and then burned through cash waiting for the cycle to turn around quickly and they evaporated most of their profits before scaling back or pulling the plug.With Trumps tax policy nobody knows for sure but everything I have read points to a strong top cycle extension for the next 2 to 2.5 years before the natural cycle down turns happens.