At this point, I'm not so concerned about achieving that exactly, but if my REI journey takes me there on my way to (or even after) financial freedom, then I'm all for it.There's still some work to do to prepare financially for "the first deal" and that moment legitimately appears to be about 2 years away. 

Its really a gamble that you have to be prepared for. 

I took a couple of weeks off from my former job to really focus and prepare for the exam. 

The reality is you have to pay for services like this and be prepared to eat the cost if the deal doesn't pan out.

Beyond that, the joy of building something meaningful is priceless.3.Be prepared for isolation.

There were several mistakes made on my tax returns that I pointed out, which required going back and forth with their tax preparers.

You also may need to start with more capital so you are prepared for unexpected situations.

Trying to save $$ so I can prepare emergency funds in case of any major repairs etc .

I spent months reading, browsing forums and meeting with other investors to prepare.

Quote from @Eddie Ray: Im currently looking for a RE tax professional/preparer in San Diego, CA.