Both a literal break (time off, not legs) and perhaps a little freaking grace (especially from those of you who profess to be Christians). 

Hard to give good advice without more info, but since You are single no kids it's hard to beat buying a single family fixer upper and living in it for two years and then selling for tax free profits....I'm a big fan of Waltham these days $.02 

And what is your price range and are you looking for turn-key properties or something along the lines of a "fixer upper"?

They should be able to help you look at properties that would make good rentals, but some of that leg work is going to be on you.

Early on in my career, I saw a close frend do something similar.. she borrowed from her circle to finance a rural fixer-upper, then paid them back once she refinanced after the rehab.I’m guessing that massive yard plus the barn is already a big selling point for your tenant, especially with a family that wants a little extra room for animals.

For clients who purchase fixer-uppers, we can renovate the property to their exact specifications.

A handy search bar in the upper right makes it easy to find previous discussions, blogs, podcasts, and other resources.

Many people assume they have the right to affordable housing in markets the middle, or even upper middle class can’t afford. 

You'll be in the middle of the overall upper east side apartment market. 1 or 2 beds 1 or 2 baths in a nice and safe building.

That way, you can get your foot in the door, start building equity, and stay at home a bit longer to save more money.You could also consider the BRRRR method where you buy a fixer-upper, rehab it to add value, rent it out, and then refinance to pull your cash back out.