I will be investing $1,000 just to earn my MLO license, and another $1,000+ for my real estate license to what equates to a sales person job.Pitching and qualifying clients with all the new and ever changing lending laws, only getting paid when I close a transaction which can be months apart from paycheck to paycheck.Right now I'm unemployed and I see myself homeless, destitute, and unhappy playing the W-2 game.

@Steve Vaughan  If Meghan is worried then she should cash out.. nothing wrong with that.Others play the long game it all cycles.. so nothing wrong with that as well.depends on your event horizon . 

Maybe consider a different scenario more akin to the P/E plays out there.  

My play is add some value through improvement and sell once the market has corrected.

Lets assume these were the only two options available, which would be the smartest play?  

You can play tricks on the numbers to say x% per project, but if you are paying 9% in a year then that is what you are paying.

But, personally, I think Memphis is a far safer play than many out there.

If it was my client I would make a play for the EMD at a minimum because you are not being denied a loan.

Maybe start wearing dirty sneakers and jeans with paint on them when getting quotes and bringing your car in for service, see how that goes. ...just playfully thinking out loud here...Just curious, what is the year, make and model of your car you referenced about the brake repair?

I am playing around with a project, trying to decide if I want to go after it or not.