I am not looking to leave my W2 and want to make sure that the properties I invest in are solid and would be something I would want my wife and daughter to live in. 

Hey Bigger Pockets community, I'm just starting out in Step 1 (get educated) on what I want to become a successful career in real estate investment.I also currently run an e-commerce business that is currently completely online, but would benefit from having a brick & mortar storefront, and I had an idea that maybe using the investment capital I'm looking to allocate into real estate into a commercial property my business can operate out of until I decide to sell the property in or rent it out to another business.I am obviously very naive when it comes to the complexity of any good real estate deal (especially commercial VS residential), but I'm hoping to spend as much time learning from everyone here who is on their journey as well.My main concern with the idea of buying commercial to operate my business out of it that I might struggle to rent it out afterwards and that there may likely be depreciation in the commercial real estate market over the next 5 years.I understand there is a lot of nuance depending on the local market but I'm guessing commercial is even less of a "safe" bet than finding a solid residential deal to leverage in some way.

I would say that sounds like a solid plan to me 

OP said: It’s frustrating, especially because our due diligence came back clean, leases were solid, and the property had just been fully renovated.

I'm a very analytical person who won't start a new venture without first gaining a solid understanding, establishing the right framework and connections, and ensuring that I'm securing a great deal.

Congratulations on building a solid foundation with your duplex and single-family properties!

Starting with land can help build funds for bigger opportunities, but multifamily is a solid path if your goal is long-term cash flow and financial independence.Good luck!

At market value, the property would generate solid cash flow.

Unless you actually wrote the algorithm, you really have no solid idea of how they work.

When investing in real estate, having multiple exit strategies is key.For a single investment property, make sure the numbers work for both scenarios: 1️) If you decide to sell the home, the deal should produce a solid return. 2️) If you need to rent it out, the rental income should cover expenses and provide a profit.Flexibility is what saves you when things don’t turn out as planned.