Due to the appreciation aspect of real estate, while rentals may incur losses for many years, the investor may profit significantly once he/she sells the real estate.

If you take care of number one, the other aspects fall in line.

There are credit aspects, financial aspects, social aspects and the ability to guide buyers through personal finance matters, employment issues and address life experiences to improve the circumstances.

When you can be a partner in all aspects, THEN you are ready to look for someone to team up with.  

New to BiggerPockets, I look forward to helping members with the tax aspects of anything related to their activities as a Realtor, Appraiser, Lender, Real Estate Investor, or Other Real Estate Professional.I have extensive experience helping people in the Real Estate game keep more of what they earn by saving them taxes.  

It is a good community to network and learn about all aspects of real-estate investing.

I like the flipping aspect because it would give me a way to produce capital quickly to invest into other properties.

I cast another vote for @Jay Hinrichs, because he plays, in a big way, on the cutting edge of what is happening in multiple aspects of the real estate world. 

That is a function of Net ROI which is in turn a function of leverage, asset allocation and location, operational aspects and risk tolerance.  

It is a good community to network and learn about all aspects of real-estate investing.