It's pretty easy to see that real estate proces peaked around 2007-2008 and then crashed during the Great Recession.Around 2011-2012 prices started to recover and got back to their pre-Crash highs around 2015-2016, but really 2018-2019 when adjusted.So, why are newbies reading books written BEFORE 2019 and thinking that you can still successfully invest using the EXACT advice in these relatively "old" books?

It is awesome that you are getting started early in your career. $220,000 is definitely a lower purchase price amount and really limits you on what you can buy.

Making money in real estate requires experience and starting with no or little money makes you study harder.As much as most of us probably wished for it, getting started with a lot of money in your pocket is a recipe for disaster: the temptation is to make the deal work by throwing money at it.If you want to go into real estate go with a syndicator with a good track record.

It’s a smart move, especially since it ties in with your goal of saving for your first investment.For skills, you probably already have a good foundation with your sales experience—things like communication, organization, and dealing with clients are all super valuable.

I've seen plumbers and builders stop hiring because all the "young" people start the job and then don't put in any effort or stop showing up.Figure out what you want to make hourly, then start telling everyone and their brother that you need work, how many hours you are available, etc. 

What are the pros and cons of each, and which offers the least restrictions, flexibility and cost savings for my intended purposes?

Opt 1) utilizing our savings in the brokerage account and emergency fund and pay for it all up front. 

Will start to investigate those areas more I’m also interested in looking into areas like Sharjah and Ajman.

Start with BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginners Guide (free).

I started by patching about a dozen (not small) holes in the wall, re-doing all the drywall in the bathroom, installing new shower plumbing, putting in recessed lighting, installing seamless LVP throughout, texturing/priming/painting all walls, installing new 5 inch pine baseboard all around, and installing custom bathroom vanity/pantry cabinets, and hanging new custom shaker doors in the kitchen.