So between 2012 to 2014, I became a hermit and paid off about 26k in debts, while going to school fulltime, work fulltime, help plan our wedding and paid for that in cash as well. 

Louis has great universities and med centers, plus family weddings and baseball. 

The 2nd home is listed at $680,000 (wed lay up to $620,000) a large 3 bed with 2 ‘bonus’ rooms downstairs of which one is currently a ‘4th’ bedroom.

I have Mon-Wed off and most afternoons off, so I have time to invest. 

After closing costs (to buy without a realtor, and to sell with a realtor) we,d be looking at a total net income of less than $15k, then split two ways. 

Buy at the funeral, sell at the wedding" + "When investing, pessimism is your friend, euphoria the enemy." - Warren Buffett - and guess what, it looks more like a wedding now than a pessimistic period.

You should come to the SD Outback REIN meetings on the third Wed. of every month.

Picking a contractor before you even have a have a property is like hiring the wedding  caterer before you even propose. 

Two 20 year old newly weds/full time students, a Mom, a Sister, and 3 cats in a 3 bedroom condo. 

I can see in places like CA where they might be more popular but on entry level to mid level houses many will not want to spend the money.My picture and video guy does mainly weddings now as his bread and butter and corporate company pics to use on marketing materials and websites.