. $170,000ish should be plenty to help you buy your first rental maybe less and then you can get started faster than the timeline of spending 1.5 years paying off your mortgage first.

Stay away from the lower income areas, typically we see properties more distressed, more challenging situations with tenants and late payments etc, we manage around 400 units and from experience its worth spending a little more money to be in a better part of town with more qualified tenants.

https://incometax.utah.gov/instructions/married-couplesWe would spend roughly half the year in each location, my husband will spend more time in NV running his business and I will spend more time in UT setting up the basement rental but the majority of our time will hopefully be together.

where I would tend to agree with the OP is I have seen folks use their IRA and not understand the actual costs of ownership and end up in a tough spot when they don't have enough reserves in the IRA  ( example they have 50k and spend 45k of the cash thinking 5k is enough reserves.) ..

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.I've been investing in the industry since 2007 and spend the better part of the last 3 years patiently waiting for market fundamentals to improve which we believe they have and should have some opportunities in the near future.

Spending money is not the same as having losses.

We got to spend one winter in the Abacos, and one in the Florida keys.

I have about 25000 saved up and I'm living at home for free how much of that should I spend on a property or save.How does someone truly manage a property "effectively" from a distance? 

I would love to continue to flip houses but now having two little boys makes the "live-in" part a little difficult.Outside of real estate and taxes, I enjoy spending time with my family, whether at the beach or in the backyard, and sharing new experiences with my 2 sons. 

I have about 25000 saved up and I'm living at home for free how much of that should I spend on a property or save.How does someone truly manage a property "effectively" from a distance?