As far as investing in the short term I feel investing close to home (50 mile radius) is the best option because you have a superior advantage by knowing your market.

These numbers show just how different things can look depending on the region.Meanwhile, the existing-home market is feeling the strain.

lol, I feel you on some of these month to year long battles with the govt.

Over the years, however, we’ve found that we end up coming down to Orlando quite a lot, especially in the last couple of years, and we end up staying in vacation rentals (Reunion, Championsgate, Storey Lake typically).I would love to simply pull equity from the current property but given that it’s a long term rental and we are Canadians, from what we understand it’s not an option for us.we love reunion but I feel that would probably not be the best for ROI.  

You can make a real case for either decision, so - and I can't believe I'm saying this - do what feels good.

@Keith Thomas feel free to reach out anytime!

I have done some research, but I’ve found that many mentors and coaches are asking for significant fees, which feels like a large financial commitment, especially as a newcomer to real estate investing.

@Christopher Smith there are many...but in my opinion really only three companies out there that offer the ability to 721 into a large and diversified REIT that i'd feel comfortable with. 

I'm new to house flipping and feeling a bit apprehensive about moving forward with my first deal.

For those that do not feel comfortable enough with excel to build out a tool on your own, I would suggest starting by taking excel courses focused on dynamic real estate modeling.