Real estate being "inefficient" and being able to buy under market value is another huge pro to real estate .Tax advantages can be great too .Also unless you are investing in an index fund investing in the stock market can be pretty time consuming .

That can range from time consuming to impossible if it is in the coil. 

@Glen Ruggiero sounds expensive and time consuming.

CBRE said to expect a spike in demand for warehouse space from building supply companies, charities, and consumer-goods distributers.

Maybe you can wait them out until they're consumed by these repairs and fixes that you say are needed.

I've spent the past months consuming as much knowledge as possible in preparation for my first deal.

Doesn't sound like you can, so I'd go ahead and fix it since a home with a window that's broken out could be considered uninhabitable in California (Ca Civil Code 1941).Here's some more reading on it if you're interested: Ca Dept of Consumer Affairs - Landlords' And Tenants' Responsibilities For Habitability And Repairs: Legal Guide.

If you just want to sell a contract then your ads should say "Selling a 3 page contract on white letter paper with Ariel font and signed by 2 parties".Besides lets be honest getting a license is not rocket science or even really time consuming.

It looks like adding homes may be where there may be some potential, but that also consumes cash.  

Consumer credit is much more automated in that they have a minimum FICO score or other triggers that might cause a denial.