Not great but  like I said with the tenant paying down the principal and appreciation it at least allows for diversification from the stock market.

@Tucker Cummings Think of your 401k as part of your diversification strategy. 

Originally posted by @Duane Richards:@Cameron Lam our goal is actually cash flow for passive streams and diversification (all our previous investments were in the stock market).

Since I have a full time business to provide for our family, this seems to be an avenue toward "diversification" while at the same time building long term wealth.A question that I do have is - in beginning as a real estate investor, is it recommended to form an LLC from the start OR to just invest as an individual?

This strategy can also offer diversification benefits, as flipping can provide a short-term source of income while the portfolio can provide long-term stability.

I don't know anything about Spark.syndications are a diversification strategy, not a beginner strategy. 

It offers immediate cash flow and diversification across different real estate classes and markets, freeing you from the headaches of active management.

As far as a multi, personally if all things were equal I'd go for the multi for a few reasons.  1) Added diversification.. if one tenant doesn't pay, you can still cover property expenses with the other tenants 2) Shared capex... typically, one roof and one property to maintain but multiple streams of income 3) Less vacancy.. usually multi's rent for lower, for example one of mine is the sweet spot of 3 bedrooms for $1300. 

Make sure you have a cushion and an outside source of income and buy in a market where the population is larger and there is a diversification of jobs.

I also like to diversification it ads.