Having the experience that I’ve gained and spending time learning about the financials of owning a rental, I feel pretty good about being able to look over a listing’s presented numbers and recognize anything that doesn’t seem right.

Your cash reserves are not a cost to you...that's still your money, and you still have 100% control over it. 

Here' how I would do it with $100K using a BRRRR Strategybuy a 4 Plex for we will say 250K / 20% down = $50K DPPut $20K into renovations, it helps if you can do some or most of the work yourself (Sweat Equity) Rent out three of the units and house hack by staying in the 4th unit so essentially you would have $0 living expenses if done properly.Get the property appraised after making the renos, we will say it gets reappraised at 325K.Refinance for 75% of the new appraised value (325K*0.75)= $243,750KPay back the original mortgage of $200K You end up spending $50K DP + $20K Renos = $70k to get the property and you'd get back $243,750K - $200K (original mortgage) tax free back plus $81,250 in equity in the home that is tax free as well since you'd be getting refinanced at 75% of the total mortgage you'd receive the remaining 25% equity in the newly appraised value of the home ($325K *0.25) = $81,250 in Equity plus $43,750 in cash. 

Being a real estate agent is awesome, but you can spend a lot of money just keeping the lights on if you are new.2.

I get the theory but I don't have the time to learn or to spend to do it myself.

The trust owns the property and is controlled by the trustee.

I don't think there is any way to get around the "hate" of spending large chunks of money on repairs. 

I found with real estate I had more control, and higher & more consistent gains so I focus on that.

Just spend your free time looking for deals and be ready to go when you find one.

My "day job" is currently as a graduate student at Thomas Jefferson University, and I spend a lot of my free time in educating myself of the ways of real estate.