If you were 26 and just getting started, where would you start?

[Christian Szadyr]

Hello everyone! My name is Chris, i'm new to the Bigger Pockets community and just getting started in my education of real estate. I'm 26, married and a firefighter/paramedic full time and also work as a carpenter on my days off. My goal is to build a real estate/investment portfolio (end goal of multifamily) while working as a firefighter over the next 20 years to have passive income once I retire from the fire industry. 

With all of this background information, I'd really love to hear your suggestions as to how you would go about this if you were just starting out again? 

Would you buy beat up houses and flip small single family homes? Would you refrain from buying a home all together? Would you strictly start with multifamily investing? 

I understand this advice depends on strengths, weaknesses, goals, etc. Ultimately I'll make my own decision on how to proceed, I'd just really like to hear from some of you seasoned folks what YOU would do if you were just starting out again? Would you change anything? Really hoping to just get a conversation started and learn from you all. 

Thanks!