It is a popular benchmark used in the measurement of an entity's ability to produce enough cash to cover its debt payments.I'm a newbie as well and still being a sponge. 

Now, having said all that, house hacking isn't necessarily easy (if it were, everyone would do it)...it's just easier than the more advanced strategies...House hacking still takes significant due diligence, skill in analyzing the market and the property, time and effort to learn about tenant screening and property management, the ability to anticipate appreciation/depreciation trends, etc., etc., etc....and even with lots of skill and preparation, things will still go wrong (vacancy, plumbing leaks, bad tenants, etc.)

So my learning ability was very limited. 

It is a 3-unit property in Schenectady NY that provides me the ability to live for free.

.#7A mastery of numbers is useless without an ability to communicate findings.

I own only two properties trying to close a third They so far paid off..and buy and hold I am alluring investors anywhere I go and I will be ready for better and bigger things next.Having closed one then another one gave me the ability to show off when needed to earn others credibility..if you need someone to talk about experiences..I am your guy.. call me .

Syndications offer great tax benefits in addition to passive income and the ability to diversify asset classes from multifamily to mobile home parks, self storage, RV parks and more.   

Ability to sell a property for which outside financing may not be available due to either the economic climate or this particular property situation2.

Experience as an investor would give a lot more encouragement.The ability to provide numbers on how your past investments went.

Don't follow others blindly.Realize that your success as a real estate investor depends on your ability to find motivated seller leads...