Having retired, I travel across the USA in our RV and stop in the SA area during the winter months to watch over the properties.I've joined BiggerPockets to network and learn and re-learn RE investing.

This is especially true of folks who have owned one through the economic down-turn we had from about 2007 - 2012.Time-shares are very often NOT an investment, but if you like to travel and travel at least 1-2X or more each year, you can save big $$ over simply renting someone's vacation property, or staying in a nicer hotel.

Just was not confident that I would succeed without some help.

I believe that studying early gives you confidence to make moves once you have the resources to execute on your dreams/plans, and that's important because it takes guts and confidence to invest.

After two years of travel my wife and I are ready to put down roots in a new location.

Not sure in the end how much you would save doing it on your own or if you would end up with a better result - it would seem to take more up front time and travel costs.

These have typically been on rehabs and the money is only out a short time, but the same idea can work for getting money for a rental as well.You obviously want to be careful and only use that kind of money if you are confident it will be a very good investment.

If you are not confident that you will find a buyer for this property and you are worried about loosing an E.M. deposit you have no business signing a written contract agreeing to buy this property.People doing things like this gives the industry a bad name.

I travel a lot with work so timing hasn't been right - or the price.

I'll let others chime in, but if I see a company name that ends in "Realty," I'm 99% confident that it's a brokerage firm.Could just be me...