The specific town may not be relevant for this questions, hence I'm skipping that..

@Jaycee Greene is pointing out that we need to be specific when we are planning to meet with people.

No problem, though—I can get close to $100K saved by the end of the year, so I’ll be in a much stronger position.My question is, is there a specific number I should be striving for that would put me in a good position to invest in real estate?

I don't know about you but I am constantly on the hunt for consistency, consistency of income, of deals, of productivity, in my relationships...so that's my focus in all things not just real estate.So my vision to your question is a a state of total consistency of income and deals.I'm focused on the basics, which to drive me is even more specifically "making offers."  

Aside all that, as others mentioned, you didn't lend enough info to give any specific answer to your specific situation.

The IRS could apply this doctrine if it appears that the series of transactions are structured primarily to achieve a specific tax outcome, such as avoiding taxes.Regarding the 1031 exchange, while in-laws are not considered related parties, the transaction could still be scrutinized due to the complexity and nature of the other transactions involved.

Why ask: You want to know the mentor’s qualifications, expertise, and track record in the specific area you need help with.

If you have any specific go / no-go criteria, you can evaluate it on the web most likely. 

To me you are asking all the wrong questions.

They couldn't be more wrong!