Absolutely, it's clear you've put thought into your real estate journey, and your aspirations for financial freedom are commendable!

@Ryan Williams My primary is paid off which has allowed me the freedom with my low paying job to be able to obtain mortgages to purchase 5 rental properties.

And all it will cost is your freedom. 

Quote from @Azita Nejaddehghan: Young adult, working in health care, living in Virginia (just outside of DC).

As long as there is freedom, there will be freedom to be a junkie and yes some choose that.

While real estate investing aims to achieve financial freedom, this is only possible if you invest where rents outpace inflation and there is significant, sustained population growth.

He could have quit when it became obvious these houses weren't helping anyone hit their freedom number except him and his partners.

This my friends on BP is just the reality of Real Estate you have two basic methods One mom and pop keep their day jobs and start buying long term hold rentals as they can afford them and if they like it they keep at it..Two you jump in the game and try to make money transactionally IE RE Broker  Flipper Wholesaler MLO  leasing agent etc etc.. this also is a long term ramp.. what the Guru programs attract generally speaking is those that get excited think they can somehow buy a program ( any program pick one) and its going to jump start them to this mythical financial freedom everyone talks about..

He was in the marine corps, he was one of the first people to invade Afghanistan during operation enduring freedom. 

See this BP blog for a numbers comparison - More Units Doesn’t Mean More Money—Why a Single-Family Home Can Beat a Fourplex.Stay focused on your goal, financial freedom; not following popular dogma.