Chris,It's a long story :)But here's part 1: I lost everything back in 2002-2003https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/55/topics/690349-from-bankruptcy-to-1-000-units-part-1-thru-the-dark-tunnelFrom there, is a link to Part 2: how I came back and Part 3: how I built my real estate empire

You do your thing, build your rental empire one inexorable step after another, don't let anyone take it away from you.If Wesley's quick explanation of how to build porch stairs for peanuts out of pressure-treated lumber seems a bit abbreviated, I think there's an episode of Ask This Old House that lays out the exact toe-clearance cut technique he mentions, very well done.

I bet that 20 years from now, after you’ve built your real estate empire, using all of the knowledge that you learned on BiggerPockets, and Rich dad Poor dad, that you too will be lending people money, and charging interest over a 30 year amortization.

@David Friedman no doubt as time passes by more and more people from LA are moving to inland Empire so its up and coming however everything even here is very pricy and still impossible to get the 1% rule!

Thanks for sharing and keep building your empire.

@Russell Brazil I am 75 so no empire building.

Think of it this way, suppose you started out and you build a small RE Empire which winds up being worth a $1 Million.Then, for no fault of your own, you got into a Car Accident and are no longer able to go through towards your Goal of $100 Million.Life happened, but you did your VERY BEST.

Keep it all liquid to build your real estate empire.

Building up a real estate empire is a fantastic idea in theory, but in practice unless you're incredibly lucky, you'll be better off putting it in some sort of truly passive investment, like Redfin stock.I believe MOST people here do not realize how problematic real estate investing can be, the degree to which luck plays, how little is truly within one's control, and how inefficient and illiquid the real estate market is. 

I have another property right across the street, and I don't want them to start targeting it if they learn I own it as well.Also, when this older guy asked my tenant for money, she said he bumped his waist with his elbow and made the comment "oh I just bumped my gun."