Real estate investing is a pretty forgiving world and the average person can still make money even with some pretty big mistakes.Buckle in, keep your arms and legs in at all times, and enjoy the ride!

Plus, they have a lending arm that I believe matches that 3.5% down for 1 and 2 flats though it’s a conventional loan and you have to use a certified contractor (which in theory you could become yourself). 

But realize you are going to end up paying an arm and a leg, because the vast majority of your direct mail contacts will be flakes not truly interested in selling unless you have a super-targeted campaign.

Safety and locking in gains, I'm right behind you, slowly liquidating at this end of the cycle.

Isn't there an "arm's length" requirement with these sort of sales, which would preclude you buying?

This was a major blow to our plans of having a safety net  as we had all our money invested in the property.

In this case, we recognize that vast majority of the of the audience cannot afford this product, and safety (staying power) resides in the fact that we are not trying to cater to them.

I am assuming you have a significant other, from my experience theres always a point where they want that new appliance, to paint the walls a different color, or imagine this- a new car every 2-3 years because of all the new safety features.

I am very intrigued by the long term earnings potential, plus I believe that I would enjoy being a broker more than my current duties in property management.I've saved a fair amount over the past few years but am still a little bit wary of having no safety net in a commission-only job with no health or dental benefits.I may have to ask my parents for some financial assistance and/or get a side job with flexible hours and health/dental benefits.Thanks for your response, and please let me know if there is anything else I should keep in mind before taking the plunge into becoming a commercial real estate broker.

Personally I much prefer investing in syndications with my SDIRA due to lower complication and a more arms-length transaction.