Better to invest in a fund or try to be a private/hard money lender?
I've been spending a good deal of my time on this site lately looking into what it takes to being on the lending side - private / hard money lending, investing in notes, etc... Seems like there are a ton of legal regulations & landmines. I'm trying to do my investing in real estate on a part time basis and the goal is passive income.
Do you think it'd be better to just invest in a fund with a reputable person or company who already has the experience in doing this (whether it be a note fund or a private money/hard money lending fund)? Or worth it to figure it out on my own? Either way I would obviously do my homework to learn what I'm investing in, I'm just concerned about my ability to locate/evaluate good deals vs. someone who does this full time. Any advice is totally appreciated.