You can find a local investor to mentor you in exchange for sweat equity which will give you the best kind of learning, hands-on learning!

While I love my market, I see a REIT as an alternative to trying to invest out of market and add some diversification to my RE portfolio (yes I know there aren't the tax advantages or sweat equity advantages).

I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty and put in the sweat equity starting out to give myself a better chance against the bigger guys out there using a GC. in order to accomplish this, would have to keep my target market close to home.

If you want that larger cash flow then you have to go larger cash in upfront.All in all it's still a good investment but differentiation of cash flow and return on cash depends on what you put in it plus a lot of the factors others have mentioned.Our decision came down to do we want to go heavy finance and little cash in with little cash flow or little finance and heavy cash flow with heavy cash in.We did the latter and works great for us- more stress initially(because it's a lot of cash out lol) but long term we don't sweat the ebb and flow of the market as much as others that have more leverage.Good luck on your journey!

And if it goes kaput, everyone sweats.

Personally, I think that for most of us in the investing world, the road to the first 10-20 doors will be marked with a great deal of blood, sweat and tears.

There is definitely a place for "sweat equity", and I have put in my share.

Putting the sweat into it isn’t the issue but understanding that “cash is king”, is a struggle.

I know how to make most repairs and include sweat equity.  

Don’t sweat the small stuff.