If you feel you've educated yourself well enough to make a start (never stop learning), then begin networking with people.

I also tend to think most JV's are not proper joint ventures and are more like two folks, albeit entities or people, trying to work on something with a very loose document tying them together.  

I stopped working for someone else at age 42 and went into real estate full time with zero residual cash flow coming in monthly, though I did have cash and access to cash. 

But it's actually that book that got me thinking to get several properties over time and as you say start a snowball effect.I guess I'm just a bit scared to get started because I feel like the bank will stop giving out mortgages after 1 or 2 properties.

I'm ready to venture out & take action. 

My part time venture is owning and managing my Airbnb Properties.

I wasnt expecting to do deals out of state but I didn't let that stop me. 

this actually happened with the obama administration years ago.these are what you are finding, troy. these houses are less than desirable and the bank, well frankly, " has bigger fish to fry". so these houses sit and sit and sit. get run down, and pretty soon, when the bank wakes up and realizes they have thousands of dollars in carrying costs invested in this house, they discover that they will never get anywhere near the amount that they have invested in the house back to them, so they " drop" the house. thats right, they write it off. they stop paying someone to check on it every 2 weeks, they stop paying someone to mow the lawn, etc. and they stop paying the taxes.my advice to you, call and ask the bank if they have " released the lien or mortgage" back to the original owner. some banks will tell you, others will not. then, call the local tax authority. ask how many years ago the last taxes were paid on the house and who paid them. if it was a bank, and they stopped paying the taxes, well, there is your first sign that the bank has dropped the house. they aren't going to keep paying the taxes on a house that they no longer want, are they?

If you bring any of your personal life in to this venture, it will chew you up and spit you out.

Never stop learning and be constantly reading books to get ahead of others who are not willing to do so.Start Saving.