REI is a lot like Poker.  

I'm a former realtor turned poker player turned headhunter and a Canadian turned American.

I can't thin of any reason they wouldn't be honest with me but I don't want to expose my poker hand before time.

Glad to see another poker player here. ;-) Be sure to check out the Ultimate Beginners Guide as well as my 10 Rules of Successful Real Estate Investing.

I've played poker with Tom Vu a few times, and I can honestly say, he is exactly the same in real life as he was on those infomercials.

Its more like poker, where you have to adapt to what is at the table with you. 

so if you're truly looking at it as a business model you need to factor in the cost savings or "rent you're paying to yourself" - usually while fixing up an otherwise unrentable house (it's amazing what we'll put up with when we're remodeling our own places isn't it).If you ever watch real poker players not the tv actor types they never keep all their chips on the table.  

As the saying goes in poker if you don't know who the fool is at the table, it's you.....Now, You could probably make the same case for teachers.

Its not always about being the biggest and baddest or smartest guy or gal in the game.

Scott and pick his brain, he eats steak, just don't paly poker with him......Good Luck!