If your mental health is compromised by looking at deals, you should stop.

Although you cannot sell real estate without a license, you can learn a lot by assisting an agent, shadowing client appointments, etc.

While algorithms can analyze data at scale, real estate isn’t just about numbers—it’s about nuances and the most important component of real estate is understanding its value, and that to me (maybe I am old school) but can only be done by physically visiting and walking the property.So for me, factors like local market conditions, property inspections, and borrower credibility can’t be fully captured in a formula.

Originally posted by @Mayer M.

Some people are more disturbed by that than others (even if they have nothing to hide) - and following you around may give them a greater sense of control and therefore comfort.

Comparing just those two things, you would save way more money in the long run by avoiding the annual mortgage interest.

It seems there’s a common misconception largely influenced by social media, online courses, and influencers who oversimplify the process that real estate is an easy, passive way to generate income with minimal effort.

My recommendation is get a self directed IRA and have the real estate be owned by your IRA

There are other areas that make good STR's that are overlooked by most in favor of the trendy areas. 

That is the fastest way by far to save up for your next purchase.Side note, be careful comparing your situation to someone else who has a similar job/pay.