., get a higher paying job, work two jobs, go to trade school, get a higher paying degree, live in affordable area, etc...these are things that most of us did).

Trading off current cashflow for principal payoff in the future?

The trade off being if I want a property I need drive a little to work.

Non traded public REIT? 

I discovered working on computers was not in my DNA and switched to a degree in Finance.

You’re going to deduct your tax prep, your internet, your cellphone, your computer, your tablet, your mileage if you’re involved in the properties, your home office, etc etc.

A 1031 exchange allows you to defer taxes by exchanging real property held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment for other real property of like kind, which is also to be held for similar purposes.

Can you do contracting work on properties and learn valuable skills that will help you remodel properties, flip them, or otherwise learn as much as possible about the construction trade? 

@Jerry Chilimidos Yes, you can use your SDIRA for hard money lending, with income going back into your SDIRA tax-deferred or tax-free (unless the activity rises to trade or business, then you might be exposed to UBTI).

But you do have the room sharing.. in Cupertino were you have a huge Asian population I know folks that will put two computer kids in each room for 4 bed house 8 techies and each paying 1k to 1500 a month.. can just about make it work since the houses are 2 mil.