When LJ was 9 years old he decided that he was going to buy a house when he 'grew up" because we were sponsoring a child through "Save the Children," and when he found out that the little girl we were sponsoring slept on a muddy, dirt floor he decided that he would save up for a home so that he could keep "poor people" from sleeping on dirt floors. [ one Autistic super-power, perseveration] I  told him that if he wanted to do that then he should start saving money.

Ask yourself:  What is your superpower? 

Everyone has a superpower, and mine is standardized testing. 

Yes, leave the operations to the experts as a passive investor and focus on your super power in the W-2. 

What is your superpower? 

But cash flow is not the real super power of real estate.

Trust me I have all my numbers, that's my super power, but as you said finding a lender willing to do the "courtesy" is difficult.  

Hey @Elizabeth Lark,As mentioned in some other responses, one of the superpowers of real estate is its tax treatment, and you are forfeiting powerful strategies when you hold them in a retirement account as you describe.

Understanding Reality is a superpower in this world of fake news and AI generated content.

-My name isVictor Ayala And Common Sense is my Superpower