To me -- a person who likes other humans only so much -- the idea of house hacking with a rent-by-the-room strategy is too much interaction.

Do your research and ensure you are confident in your chosen market. 

Don't get emotionally wrapped up in the evils of humanity.

Consistency is an amazingly powerful human motivation - everyone should read the book Influence, by Robert B Cialdini PhD.

Another thought is to look for private lending not from an institution like a credit union but with other humans.

Depending on strategy chosen, it can be far from passive.  

It would need to appreciate 6% in one year just to break even on real estate agent commissions, otherwise you'd lose money.I'm about to go against the BP orthodoxy of always owning as much real estate as possible and being as leveraged as humanly possible:The longer you plan on owning any home, the less risk there is of losing your shirt. 

The title covers most of it- I get lots of "electronic interest" but still want to speak to a human before setting an appointment to show a  unit.

Short read and all about human behavior and mindset.

I have found that people, are human and at the end of the day if it is putting our family in financial jeopardy or the landlord.