This is being built /designed for this use but somewhat like a boarding house.

Quote from @Don Miller: Update:Digging and form boards placed, ready for underground plumbing. 

I insist that you complete the Task you were hired for with NO further compensation and I've also written a formal complaint to the "Board of Bar Overseers" over this matter!

Flip side, for a third of that you are trained to find properties using creative finance taking over existing low interest loans that cash flow and you are buying in decent neighborhoods with every day lunch box Joes that have kids and go to work and pay rent on time. 

I'm 42 with a wife and two kids.

I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area and my FIRE number isn't $15k a month (with kid costs it is but I wouldn't be retiring early/quitting W2 job with child costs).I don't have much feedback on Michigan but I do agree with affordability with California and Florida and insurance costs, people may be moving to the Midwest. 

You have kids - do a 529 plan and max it out You will retire one day - max out your 401k yearly, IRA, Roth IRA (or backdoor to Roth IRA)You will have health expenses one day - max out your HSA From here I'd invest in Real Estate.

I'm involved in too many things, but that's what happens when you have a family and kids to support.

Never making a large salary.Like you said, its incredibly important to make these big sacrifices before having a serious relationship and/or marriage and kids, because most times the significant other won't be on board to live so far away from everything.

Plenty of houses in these neighborhoods are boarded up, and retail plazas are vacant.