Yes I am considering out of state...but really need to do my homework first as I am only familiar with California. 

Would love to expand more in VT (ski resort areas...still pricey), central/western MA, the Berkshires.

The extra income from renting your current house would certainly help out regardless of what you decide to do and if you do your homework on a second house, it'll pay for itself!

Ultimately, the best way to learn is by doing so do your homework and get started. 

Hopefully, he takes my advice to do his homework before trying to buy anything at the auction (literally every other week someone loses a buttload of money bidding on HOA foreclosures with clouds on title). 

Im missing a few chapters of rental investments, the after math! 

But then again, when I lived in SC we paid 500 per sq, ( 55 SQ do the math, OUCH ) NO other choice they ALL ripped you off LOL  Furnace 80k BTU 700 bux material at HD.

I would certainly love to build a vacation home for free though if the math made sense.  

Do the math now, and if it makes sense under the current high rates than you will most likely be fine down the line. 

This doesn't mean ignore rental increases, but at the end of the day it is a math problem.