Instead, we plan to devote more time to increasing our earning potential through travel nursing and house hacking so that we are able grow our investments quicker. 

If it's problem is something you believe you can fix in a realistic time frame, without tons of work or tons of money, and you can get the units back in service--it might be an interesting deal.Where will you get the fix up money if needed, and do you have the time to devote to this?

I remember when I bought that course years ago, there was one CD devoted to mobile home investing.

I've looked into ventures in a bunch of places, and recently, I've devoted hour on hour to learning as much as I can about real estate investing.

My hope is the free up more of my time to devote to other tasks such as continued grown. 

Devote you time attempting to get "off market" properties that are priced right.

Being that you are trying to wholesale, that makes iteven more important, because as you say, you need enough on the bone for both yourself and your investor.Also, I would definitely devote some time educating yourself on rehab costs.

Secondarily, supporting charities and other organizations with time and expertise vs. just money.Short term REI goal: Purchase a STR along the Gulf Shores / Orange Beach area- Close to ageing relatives that will provide more opportunities to visit for direct and extended family- Utilize for family vacations over the coming years- Provide tax benefits to help offset W-2 income- Diversify portfolio that is heavy weighted towards mutual funds and company stockLong term REI goals:- Own 3-5 STR properties that can be utilized for different family vacations- Own MTRs/LTRs as opportunities arise- Provide supplemental income that my spouse could manage in the event of my death or disability (or less negatively, a career change)- Teach family (spouse and children) the benefits of real estate investing- Achieve financial independence with the goals to travel, enjoy activities, and devoting more time to "giving back"Questions I have:- With my stage in life, is it realistic to self-manage a STR properly?

As you can imagine, the more time you can devote the better your odds of getting a deal. 

There is probably a market too for a small manager who will devote lots of time to small portfolio or individual property.