Depending on your risk tolerance, make sure you are financially ready for the worst scenario.

I guess I’m just not cut out for that sort of drama, so this cycle I just took my marbles and went home.

The other strategy I've considered, but have no idea if it's feasible, is getting some sort of hard money loan for a live in flip just to get the place and then refinancing it with an owner occupant loan once it's fixed up and I move in.

It's sort of passive investing vs active investing. 

with prices and rates high it's just a tough time to be a buyer.the worst thing you could do would be to buy the wrong property with your $250K and go backwards. 

I'm from Conroe, help people of all sorts in the area analyze properties.

Also, will she be able to qualify for a mortgage, if not, putting all of her money towards a house is not anything I would do.What sort of pension will she have?

Many times they will claim it's wonderful and then try to hide their worst deals by only showing completed deals.

Not using leverage though, is some of the worst financial advice of all time.

But this is Potato, "Potato" talk.Could happen or like in your case, one can build a large and successful portfolio and do really well.Hat's off to you and well done mateA great way to think about real estate and business in general is protecting the bottom line first and foremost and looking at things from a worst case scenario standpoint.All good things take time.Appreciate you mate and I've heard great things about you.To your success