Hi Shawn-Congratulations on starting out on your real estate investing career.You have a question about whether it is good to have your real estate license or not as an investor and you are leaning toward multifamily investing.I personally think having your real estate license is helpful as an investor.Having your real estate license allows you to work with other investors to help them build their portfolios which helps expand your network while being productive, you can research market value more effectively, find out about deals before they are listed, and of course it allows you to collect the commission on purchasing any listed property.To Your Success!

I will be self-managing remotely (from NJ).

Self storage is great.  

My late wife and I held joint interests in a piece of real estate in our separate individual self directed 401k accounts.

Georgia, a state not mentioned, offers a 20% penalty so if the encumbered deed is redeemed after 1st month your effective rate of return is 240%!

You said it also effects your income till it's done so that would be another reason not to add another currently 

There are always some self-righteous individuals who try to appear as very professional figures in this community. 

Yep for one especially in the early stages a hard credit pull would not be useful, just have them do soft checks for the time being and opt out of credit solicitation: www.optoutprescreen.com I could be biased... that said typically working with one lender than can help regardless of where you're looking and having a relationship with that will provide the easiest and most cost effective route long term. 

STR can provide more cash (potentially), but its a high risk high reward strategy - if you invest in the furniture, staging, photos, and management or self manage, there is a lot of time and money invested.

I don't say that to be self-serving, being a lender.