kept using people who don't do real estate to do my taxes, and also they had horrible communication skills, I don't trust people who only see u as money.

Plus, house hacking with a VA loan’s benefits (no down payment, low interest) is a no-brainer.After a year, transitioning into BRRRR with single-family homes makes sense, especially since you’re working on your real estate license—it’ll sharpen your skills and help you spot opportunities.

@Kenneth Jenkins you forgot to mention owners that expect a PMC to use contractors off Craigslist that are unlicensed, NOT insured and rarely have acceptable experience/skill - but, they quote the "best" price.These same owners will sue a PMC if using these types of contractors results in a tenant lawsuit.

Learned some negotiation skills through this deal.

Negotiating seller concessions, networking with local investors, and learning property management skills have been key to finding deals with strong long-term potential.Good luck!

Unless new companies create replacement jobs in the city requiring similar skills and pay comparable wages, your tenants may be forced to take lower-paying service sector jobs.

Look into getting into a skilled trade as an electrician or a plumber Work more spend less.$10,000 might seem like a lot to you and it is to your circumstances but its doable.Good Luck!

A common theme amongst those who are successful scaling a real estate portfolio and affiliate real estate businesses is organization skills that allow for systems to be implemented.

I didn't put systems in place until I realized I was lacking a some area of my investment skills. 

Given your husband's expertise in marketing, you probably have the skills to grow a business.