If you do frequent / high volume lending and operate it in a business-like fashion, it may rise to what the IRS calls "trade or business."

Personally, I am a fan of keeping my retirement accounts as my exposure to the stock market, and the real estate money is outside of that. 

True enough, some programs now have better and more frequent in-home visits and additional monitoring or different types of assistance to the tenant, which is a good thing, but no help when it comes down to actual repairs or evictions.The other issue is the typical requirement that the program's "addendum" must be attached to, and become part of, your rental agreement.

"These 3 things will be fixed, but this comes as-is" "We will not be installing a ceiling fan in this room, etc.

This actually happens more frequently for women than it does for men.

Personally, I am not a big fan of using Real Estate Agents for the purpose which you've presented to us: purchase of real estate for investment purposes.Now I would like to be specific here as to not offend all RE agents and people in this forum:I personally* (key word) do not like to use them as i believe if you are going down the route of investing you need to know what your doing - plain and simple.

We frequently get new investors who are looking for owner financed, subject-to, and lease option deals.These normally DO NOT EXIST. 

(Even though I’ve always been a Cubs fan since I can remember).

I am a big fan of low leverage.

I am a huge fan of Balancing your debt and equity that way.