Additionally, the RD program is giving me a lot of structure, the context to put it all together, and a fun "team environment" in which to learn.

You'll also need to seriously dig hard to find off market deals and in an environment where there's like 8K REALTORs in Hawaii it'll be hard to convince someone to sell straight to you.Next time you come to Oahu let me know?

I have been in offices where all the agents do is complain about the market, their clients, etc.Today, I work in a very positive environment where everyone is happy and willing to help each other.

One thing to consider is that other tenants in the building thought they were leasing in a non-pet environment.

It will be tough finding a cash out refi lender for an investment property in the current lending environment.

I've done most of my deals like that also -- private money and then cash out refi -- but the lending environment has changed a lot in the last year.

I've moved three times over the last 30 years as a result of job changes, so why not move to have a better investment environment?

Legallities aside, to successfully raise capital in this environment you will need a verifiable track record of success in the same or similar ventures.

Through market stabilization that negates the necessity for price deflation due to short sales and foreclosures in the current restricted lending environment.

In my experience--and I've made at least 100 inquiries with various hard money lenders--there are no "true hard money lenders" in this environment.