I will definitely go check those out as I saw there is an entire educational panel here plus the podcasts.  

I am on the very brink of leaving my day job to do full time real estate investing and am owning/controlling 67 units having started less than three years ago. 

@Rik Wallace - Tomorrow night the Tidewater Real Estate Investors Group is hosting a Contractor's Panel.  

I like Vegas for a few reasons personally even though there is NO turn key there1. desert air.. maintenance is minimall NO hail  no shifting foundations and no sky rocketing property tax's  ( as oppossed to Texas were all this is common place.. sky high property tax's  shifting foundations Hail ( new roofs think of your deductible)  etc etc.but there are plenty of markets out there.. as much as anything is about PM but if your in CA and in Oakland I think another good play is parts of Richmond that don't have any rent control. find those..

To learn more about UDFI, see the following. https://www.irs.gov/irm/part7/irm_07-027-008.htmlFollowing are the similarities and differences between the solo 401k and the self-directed IRA.The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k SimilaritiesBoth were created by congress for individuals to save for retirement;Both may be invested in alternative investments such as real estate, precious metals tax liens, promissory notes, private company shares, and stocks and mutual funds, to name a few;Both allow for Roth contributions;Both are subject to prohibited transaction rules;Both are subject to federal taxes at time of distribution;Both allow for checkbook control for placing alternative investments;Both may be invested in annuities;Both are protected from creditors;Both allow for nondeductible contributions;Both are prohibited from investing in assets listed under I.R.C. 408(m); andNeither may be invested in your own business.  

Additionally, some of these homes even have garages, solar panel connections, etc. 

Also, paying the credit card off is of no use if you don't control your spending.  

Hi Investor, I am a new Landlord/Homeowner in Los Angeles and have purchased property that is rent controlled.

You have different levels of control over the different parts.   

As any typical 20 year old I don't like to be told what to do throughout the day, I want to have control over the money I make and have the satisfaction of knowing "I did that".