I am currently in the process of changing careers to join him and help grow our family business.

What's going on BP crew?! I will try my best to keep this post brief but I would love for folks to chime in.

The situation: Recently moved back to where I was born and raised (Vallejo, CA/Bay Area) and after several...

Yes, your own investments in real estate can probably do better, but if you stop putting money in the 401k, the additional after-tax cash you will have in your paycheck to redirect towards real estate will be a small fraction of what you are putting into the 401k.In this economy, very few of us work for one employer for our whole career.  

@Carter Cole welcome and greetings from a fellow Civil Engineer (reformed-I gave up that career for real estate and love every minute of it).

You don't want to start your career breaking the law. 

I've been doing real estate for 22 years and having your license will be beneficial to your investing career. 

I started as a dual career agent.

My career has been in IT where I've honed skills in people and project management.

I am  extraordinary, resilient, positive, competitive, a great negotiator and salesperson, and have been successful at all of my previous careers, but, I really want to clarify the first steps with someone who has been doing it. 

I've been investing for a few years now in single and multifamily units but would like to turn my focus into making this a career.