I just wanted to hear how some of you got started in real estate investing. Were you up at night watching infomercials? Did you see a friend investing? For me my parents owned real estate and as a child I saw a lot of what not to do. My mother was always concerned with the interest rate of money instead of the access to money and my dad had a deep bleeding heart for renters sob stories. Although it was a business for them I can remember my mom going over to rental property early in the morning a pleading with people to pay their rent so she could have enough to pay the mortgage on the rental property. She sometimes cried and because my dad did not handle the financing he did not share the same sentiments. My parents had several townhouses, 36 unit apartment building, and six commercial properties. My dad worked for the fire department and mom was a dentist. Over the years they acquired funds and access to capital but lacked the expertise or knowledge to manage and maintain their real estate holdings in the late 70's until the late 90's. So they lost a few properties and filed for bankruptcy but managed to save a few properties and remain ok after a few years of restructuring. For me I knew there was a better way and as I grew up watching TV gurus, studying on my on, and networking I've taken a different approach.