https://www.figure.ai/careers#careers-listingIn regards to your question.

I started my agent career in 2013 as a part time agent.

I'm hoping to start my career in either metro Dallas-Fort Worth or Chicagoland, and my main priority to is to minimize my housing expense with roommates while building equity and learning how to be a competent landlord.

As noted above, a non-QM loan product such as DSCR  could be suitable if you don't have a W2 track record.

You get all the benefits of real estate (cash flow, appreciation, tax benefits) with none of the headaches of becoming a landlord.Food for thought, and something I wish I'd figured out much earlier in my real estate investing career. 

I had a bit of an untypical start in my investing career, but I would also recommend bringing a deal to an experienced investor in the area you're looking to learn/invest in to observe the process of what a successful project looks like start to finish. 

When/if you get to the point in your career where you are ready to start doing this, you'll know.

Many years later, I would realize that, even though I made very little profit during this phase of my investment career, I was still extremely fortunate.

If it is the seller, are you confirming they added builders risk coverage and all other insurance is suitable?

My W2 career pays well but leaves me exhausted with little energy for my family which doesn't feel good.