Pretty sure I'm putting this multi family house hack on ice, for now.

No state income taxLow property taxCheap insuranceGood weather (no hurricanes/tornados/ice/snow storms)Low maintenance/newer housing inventory. 

Appreciation would just be the icing on the cake and I would never shy away from it. 

If you don't have adequate reserves for each property you're walking on thin ice.

It doesn't mean you can't have your license and invest yourself (I've been investing for years and have a license), but I am just saying I first learned how to find good deals then I became an Agent in order to save on MLS fees and have access to MLS (icing on the cake).Finally, to answer your question: "Do I throw people off when I tell them I am new?".

I bought a business called snackperk.com in April 2019 that was very successful and with the proceeds I wanted to open a local burger/ice cream restaurant for fun.

3 BR minimum is a must and more than 1 BA is just icing on the cake.

You sound like your are skating on thin ice financially speaking for the time being.

But if there's potential appreciation in addition to present nice cash flow, then that's icing on the cake. 

That's like asking - should I be a hockey player or an airline pilot lolWhich do you think you'd make more money with - do that one :)