You need high occupancy for office which in today's market is not always the case.5-8 units you can get 30 year terms.

The Power of networking, Making High Level Connections is the new book for this month Speaker, Alexandra Labbar.

I've tried hiring contractors but the cost seems so high it's hard to make deals work, so my question is where do you find people to hire full time for general work like drywall, flooring, painting etc......

I used to live in Hawaii , and the entry barrier is just high.

I would highly recommend The Storage Rebellion.

The two main downsides are finding syndicators and deals to invest with, and the high minimum investment - $50-100K if you invest by yourself.

I highly recommend working with a real estate focused tax pro to explain your specific strategy, so you can be made aware of any pitfalls that could get you into trouble. 

If a new investor comes in with a 300k purchase and a 200k rehab in a high end market where it will take 3 months to sell, a lender will not be so hot to lend a newbie in that situation.

Even with relatively high rates, deals are still moving quickly here. 

Are you better served on a highly competitive offering with dual agency and dealing with the seller's broker directly?