If you can be in the new build STR game at $800k plus, you are getting equity at close, which is a bit mind boggling. 

Truckee has some tight STR laws and if you're in that game I'd stay.  

Don't play the blame game.

Learn everything about real estate like it's your favorite video game and show your wife how passionate you are and how much you believe in real estate.

I am playing a long game.

After reading so many intros of young, single, eager individuals, I'm hoping I'm not too late to the game! 

It could take years of sacrifice and saving to get into this game and most people don't want to wait that long.  

If you don't/won't have WiFi then you should either consider a SimpliSafe system that you can move around from house to house, or some type of Trail cameras like hunters use for identifying game areas.

Thank you Nick - unfortunately it is the name of the game in this space that there will be people with bad experiences, typically when the appraised value doesn't come in as what they expect and they lash out at the lender accordingly (anyone in this space obviously understands this occurrence). 

Forums and meetups like BP have changed the game for my family for generations to come AND for generations for people in our homes.