as a deal maker, I believe both parties should pay their own closing costs.  

Real estate investing can be a great idea for several reasons:Potential for Appreciation: Over time, properties often increase in value, allowing investors to build wealth through appreciation.Passive Income: Rental properties can provide a steady stream of passive income, helping to cover expenses and generate cash flow.Tax Benefits: Real estate investors may benefit from various tax deductions, such as mortgage interest, property taxes, and depreciation.Inflation Hedge: Real estate tends to keep pace with or outpace inflation, making it a good hedge against rising costs.Leverage Opportunities: Investors can use financing to purchase properties, allowing them to control larger assets with less capital upfront.Portfolio Diversification: Real estate adds diversification to an investment portfolio, potentially reducing overall risk.Tangible Asset: Unlike stocks or bonds, real estate is a physical asset that you can see and manage, providing a sense of security.Control Over Investment: Investors can influence property value and income through renovations, management decisions, and property improvements.Building Equity: As you pay down a mortgage, you build equity in the property, which can be accessed later through refinancing or selling.Community Impact: Investing in real estate can contribute to community development and improvement, positively impacting neighborhoods.These factors make real estate investing an appealing option for many people looking to grow their wealth and secure their financial future.It really comes down to investing in a growing market, in a good neighborhood & building a great team to support you.

Don't let a random person be the decision maker as to where your hard earned money is spent.Multifamily is preferred.

Apple, Google, Xerox, Fuji film, and Meta are all coming into the area. 5k people a month move to the area which has created a housing shortage, rent spikes, major appreciation (not just due to inflation) and you can still find single family homes for sale on the MLS in good condition for ~250k+ Tenant-landlord laws are landlord-friendly and taxes are low.

I would nonetheless be the contact person and primary decision maker with property management and my brother would be largely silent as per his preference.

As they gear up for an IPO launch, this would be the WORST investment you could make.

Why take the time to learn all that a Realtor knows if you do not plan to make real estate your business?

Sometimes when looking at a property it might not feel like a money maker to you but it might work better for someone else to take on.

I find that stadiums can be money-makers, depending on the area.

Every time I have a problem, I remind myself that it is problems that make real estate profitable.