Real estate investing can be a great idea for several reasons:Potential for Appreciation: Over time, properties often increase in value, allowing investors to build wealth through appreciation.Passive Income: Rental properties can provide a steady stream of passive income, helping to cover expenses and generate cash flow.Tax Benefits: Real estate investors may benefit from various tax deductions, such as mortgage interest, property taxes, and depreciation.Inflation Hedge: Real estate tends to keep pace with or outpace inflation, making it a good hedge against rising costs.Leverage Opportunities: Investors can use financing to purchase properties, allowing them to control larger assets with less capital upfront.Portfolio Diversification: Real estate adds diversification to an investment portfolio, potentially reducing overall risk.Tangible Asset: Unlike stocks or bonds, real estate is a physical asset that you can see and manage, providing a sense of security.Control Over Investment: Investors can influence property value and income through renovations, management decisions, and property improvements.Building Equity: As you pay down a mortgage, you build equity in the property, which can be accessed later through refinancing or selling.Community Impact: Investing in real estate can contribute to community development and improvement, positively impacting neighborhoods.These factors make real estate investing an appealing option for many people looking to grow their wealth and secure their financial future.It really comes down to investing in a growing market, in a good neighborhood & building a great team to support you.

You're def right that a wrap or AITD can offer more protection to the seller than a subject-to deal, especially in terms of maintaining control over the mortgage.

. :)  but my equity share is controlled via debt or direct ownership. 

My plan was to "self-perform" a land contract by filling out a purchase and sales agreement for a land contract that specifies I will take over the mortgage payments, get authorized on their mortgage, and be authorized essentially to fix up the property and eventually sell it on the MLS since the land contract will give me that control/equitable interest.

That seemed a little more hands off and easier to control if you will.

Hiring a Property ManagerManaging Yourself:Control: You have direct control over tenant selection, maintenance decisions, and overall management style.Cost Savings: You save on property management fees, which can range from 8-12% of monthly rental income.Challenges: Being across the country means responding to emergencies or maintenance issues can be tough.

If its "expensive", you would want to have control over making sure it wasn't damaged or lost or you wouldn't consent to it being removed at all.

I know from experience that things will ALWAYS COME UP IN RENOVATIONS and it can honestly be hard to agree on the allocated time for some of these changes)- Plus many more items - it's easy to get out of control with contracts. 

I only see one person giving you the correct advice.Your focus should be on paying off the debt, controlling your finances, and building your credit.

Maintain control of your rental.