The license doesn't cost more, the service and quality does.And a note on that cost, in my experience hiring contractors, only a small percentage of the cost savings was due to finding the right guy who is willing to work for less.

I only have 4 SFR with sec 8 but I’d highly recommend it.

Our home state, TX, has really high property tax which is see as a big disadvantage.

I guess my question is this: is the very low cash flow (due to my low down-payment and high interest) going to improve?

It is much more difficult to sell an entire portfolio that has become uninsurable (which would require a cash only sale) or that insurance rates are so high that no one wants to buy. 

high prices have made properties expensive and high rates have made money expensive. 

Highs in the 15s and lows will be 0 this week. 

I'd highly recommend house hacking in your local market since you're in one of the highest cost of living areas in the US, especially if you're renting currently and planning on staying in the area for 5-10 years.It sounds sexy to go out and invest out of state for your first property.

I think the key to getting a good start in REI is finding a way to have a high 9 to 5 income and using a good portion of it  invest in your real estate endeavors. 

@Tayvion Payton here's some useful info:Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?