Maybe you just want to fix up places and do flips.I would consider reading this beginner's guide, it is a lot of information but will help you get a good over view of different niches, financing and education. 

(An exception is if you own 5% of the company you work for)Agree, this is a great summary post on REPS with core concepts on how to qualify. .I think the complexity comes in when people have edge cases - it becomes difficult to write a simple short post that educates everyone.

If the goal is providing a place for education and inspiration to real estate investors, wouldn't his story do both? 

There's a glut of sub2 education/information out there these days, so you certainly won't lack in that regard.Some of our members have done hundreds of them without issue, so just seek those people out at the meetings and talk to them.

If you can JV for a seasoned developer and investor on a deal like this and make 10-20% of the upside while tagging along and learning from their experience, that education is going to be worth way more than trying to get a 50/50 split or something like that. 

(Yes, I understand comments provided are simply educational, I will consult with an attorney before moving forward.

I have wanted to start investing in real estate for a while now and I have recently taken the next step by educating myself on the process I plan to purchase my first rental within the coming year.

I’m not sure when to decide that I “know enough” to make this kind of investment, or if I should continue educating myself before pulling the trigger on a property. 

I began educating myself and exploring ways to achieve financial freedom as soon as possible, which led me to real estate investing.

@Raymond Keith WhittingtonStart real estate investing by educating yourself, setting clear goals, building a network, understanding your budget, choosing a strategy, analyzing potential deals, starting small, and learning about legal and tax planning.