I can also get solid, 7%+ returns with a couple of oil and gas companies and bet on rising energy prices, but I'm separating stocks, REITs, and notes from real assets that I'm purchasing.

How many spend a bunch of money on getting licensed, paying desk fees, gas, time, energy, marketing, hitting up all their friends, relatives, Top 200 list, to be a wash out.

(I try to remind myself "Is it worth the time/energy?") 

Secondly, I appreciate your thoughts here and think you're right: why should I spend a big portion of my life, time and energy trying to make someone else change?

Best of luck and don't lose that energy!

When you know what someone wants and giving them what they want gets you what you want principals are a foolish waste of energy.

Time and energy are valuable commodities so if you don't have the desire to do hands-on rehab work or manage properties, vet tenants, handle maintenance issues etc, then self-managing or flipping may not be for you.

Hi,I'm a new member from Texas who is currently employed in the energy industry.

They have the money, but don't have the time and energy to waste.  

But if you go that route, then you are negating so much of what makes investing in real estate profitable, and at that rate, why not just invest in some high dividend energy stocks and be done with it?