The more knowledge you have of your market, the more comfortable you will be.

Some feedback on your plan: level of comfort with how much you owe is a personal thing, but one thing you could do to go faster is to leave the financing in place as you add properties, then once you've reached the requisite number of properties, attack the mortgages until they are paid off.

But real estate is an all-local business, don't invest in what you do not understand.If you have strong enough local ties in foreign markets and comfortable with the volatility and characteristics (good or bad) of the specific market and can expect good returns, go for it.

Rather than wasting your time, and tha of a prospective mentor, "follow" those that stand out from the crowd and when comfortable doing so, make contact by "request" and take it from there.Its very important to remember though, that everyone is here by choice and are offering their knowledge and experience out of the kindness of their hearts.

The fact your tenant is jerk is not considered a "just cause" to choose not to renew the lease.

A lot of investors choose the second.After two years (based on what you said), you're allowed to get your brokers license, at which point you can start your own brokerage.Happy to answer more questions if you have any follow-up...

This is something they can choose not to insure or to charge more for, unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much we can do about it.What I find frustrating is that they'd rather I rent to someone fresh out of high school who isn't going to school than the exact same person who is.

It is one building that is divided into 3 separate store fronts. 2 of them are currently leased, but he was honest and said both business had already violated their leases and are now on month to month and he can give them 90 days to vacate if he chooses.

When given a choice, a sales guy working on a desk at JP Morgan or alike, will choose to work with their capital market counter-party simply because the trade is larger, which also means more money for the sales person.

My ultimate goals:- To have enough money for retirement to live a comfortable but not extravagant life (new car every 10 years, modest house of about 1000 sq ft, small vacation every year, maybe a slightly larger one every 5-10 years)- To use rental properties as a means for recurring revenue which I will manage myself until I get older at which point I would like to go with a good PM company- To be adequately protected insurance wise- To ensure that my money is working FOR me and I'm not working FOR it- And ultimately to leave the world a little better place