If you were starting today, and lived my nomadic lifestyle, how would you approach real estate investments?

You can do well outside of the cities but you have to know your areas well and make it so it isn't a lifestyle issue. 

This, along with other information that I've gathered, suggests a healthy market for corporate rentals.

The profit margin is very healthy whether you want to sell and even better if you hold and lease the units.

You can probably live a better life style on 6k of w2 because of  Benefits  (health care being the big one)  Conventional loans are going to be tough, your income is going to be scrutinized more.  

The second place I bought out of state was Charlotte NC primarily because the job growth a couple of years ago was through the room and the population was growing at healthy rate.

I've become obsessed with the idea of using real estate to achieve financial freedom and to fuel my adventure travel lifestyle. 

The anticipated deal will have a mortgage for 20 years and want to make sure that if someone decides to leave the partnership that the finances of the property remain healthy. 

I know there's not a golden rule for this and it varies by a person's lifestyle, and life priorities, I'm just curious what % some of you are running at.  

I can afford to come out of pocket $500 and still sustain a comfortable lifestyle.