new MBA, six figure JOB, good credit/no bills, REI strategy?

[D S]

I've moved a decent amount in the last few years and have never been able to buy before now. I'll be finishing my MBA and settling down in the Midwest and want to know what the best REI strategy to pursue would be? Have capital, good credit, but limited time and limited RE experience.

Options I'm tossing around....

-rent something reasonably nice/small for the wife and I to live in and invest in a smaller apartment building or commercial property

-go owner occupied on a cheap 4 unit place
(not sure wife will like slumming it-or that I would like the lack of investment/personal life boundaries)

-buy a 200k house to live in and invest in a smaller 4 unit-ish sized place

-buy a giant 400k house and just fund the IRA and don't bother with REI. I'll prob work 50-60 hours/week at the JOB with a very stable firm and I expect I have some super solid upside options there.

My parents had 2-3 rentals when I was growing up, I worked for a property manager before while in undergrad, ran a successful painting contracting business, am solid at negotiating and selling, have spent my share of time in rough neighborhoods, but I'm concerned I may be too much of a nice guy to ever get too good at evicting poor people. Maybe commercial would be better for me? I don't mind getting tough with other businesspeople.

Anyways I'd love to hear any thoughts as to what type of REI investing might fit best with my lifestyle, time constraints, experience and financial situation.