Many of my colleagues are in the same situation by mid-year, and some are fully booked even earlier.

Then I brought with left over cash a long desired 2nd home overseas, which we will use 4 months and mid term rent the other months.

The S&P 500 averaged around 12% during the same time period when I purchased my first house in my mid 20s.The greater cash flow of paying cash was good for peace of mind only but served no purpose as I didn't need it.

If Cash Flow is your goal, then Columbus, OH might help you get there faster, especially if you purchase 2-4 units small multi family property and rent it as mid-term rental.

If you get a loan to buy the real estate you would even get interest deductions, while the renters are paying down your debt making your IRR in mid teens.  

I will state that some mid-interpretations are difficult to overcome.  

The consensus, not surprisingly, was that we are in uncertain times but there are certain societal and market fundamentals that make residential rental property, aka SFR and BFR, extremely attractive asset classes, short-term, mid-term and long-term.

Currently I am house hacking as a mid-term landlord (list on Airbnb.. renting Jack and Jill upstairs in our home to traveling professionals) we are consistently booked and lots of inquiries.

Instead, we went through THREE project managers as two of them were fired mid-project.

The contractor who recently replaced my doors was invited to leave mid project, as he was not only clearly disorganized, had piss poor communication skills, and incompetent.