Newbie looking for ideas/ advice from experienced investors

[Sarah Young]

Hi guys! I'm new to BP, and have really enjoyed lurking around, reading and learning from all of you! My husband is a combat veteran, a former building contractor, and currently is in management in an oil company. We moved to ND in 2012 to seek a stable job after struggling in building after the crash. It's been a great experience for us, and over the last 4.5 years we have bought two homes using the VA loan. We currently rent out one house to long-term renters, and Air BnB our basement apartment in our primary residence. I currently homeschool our four children, but I briefly sold real estate in CA before we started having kids, and just recently got my ND real estate license. I am keeping it inactive for the time being because my husband and I have been having lots of heart-to-hearts about how we still, ten years later, dream of being full-time investors/flippers/property managers. We love working together, he loves building, I love decorating...I think we are a great team. But we feel stuck, not sure how to make our dream a reality. Part of the problem is that we also want to relocate, so that's why I'm waiting on activating my license here. Any advice on how to jump from working full time to investing full time? We really would like to relocate to the eastern seaboard, particularly the Carolinas. We've always loved that area, and feel like we should go where we want to stay permanently. We are ready to leave ND (but we will keep our properties because if the boom returns, they will be cash cows! And they are cash flowing right now, so no need to give them up!). I keep wondering if there are loans, or grants to disabled veterans who want to flip homes? Maybe that's wishful thinking. Haha. If you were us, what would your next step be? We are currently looking for a job for my husband anywhere else but here. Haha. We just feel like if we are going to continue investing, we need that seed money that his good job gives us. And without a degree, it's hard to find a well-paying job outside of ND. Ideally we would like to have no job, and just be investors, but we don't know how to get from here to there. Thanks for your input! I'm looking forward to your responses! ~Sarah