I lived in Houston for a dozen years (moved last summer) and really wanted to make an STR work, but I just couldn't get there.

I am starting real estate school soon to get my license but here in Florida I was told I can buy as an investor without. 

Huntsville was the market to be buying in ~5 years ago.

What you need to do is sit down and make a list of your 3 month, 6 month, 1 year, 3 year, 5 year, 10 year goals.

Inspection was average for the age of the house around 90 years old.

I don’t know if I should invest in the Jersey market and put maybe 20-50% down on something, make less cash flow and make more appreciation, or every two years or so maybe buy something fully cash (my own $) in the Midwest let’s say 5-10 units and make more cash flow with no debt as with the income I make I can just save and buy more, don’t necessarily need to leverage in some markets.

Quote from @Naomi Feld: With last year's changes in the U.S. real estate industry, particularly concerning broker commissions, I am wondering what to expect to pay a broker for a home sale north of $30mm in the USVI.

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

I started working with Rent To Retirement last year and have had nothing but good things to say about the experience as well.

Which would be to borrow the money to fund 1-3 residential flips, in order to pay back the loan and then have more capital to then actually build on the land starting early spring of next year.