Interest rates are not the driver for me. 

Although the investor is in the drivers seat, as the borrower you should be helping to provide a good experience as reputation is everything. 

I want this to be a vehicle for my wife and I to gain financial freedom and grow a portfolio to support the lifestyle we want when I retire. 

I think there is less compliance issues, with a house the city is always sending you bs letters that you have to comply with. or a pipe bursting or someone falling in the parking. the hoa takes care of all these and takes these risks for you.I get the asteroid thing, just because there are drunk drivers out there you can't sit at home and be afraid to drive, I get all that, but these nasty lawyers will gladly gladly gladly destroy your life over the silliest thing. 

A comparison here is about drivers.

Maybe considering some mix of index funds and other investment vehicles outside of real estate could give you more broad financial exposure and diversification.

No, life insurance in all forms is an incredibly stupid vehicle to put money in. 

Those might make good rentals...but also there can be extra costs...see if they are in PIDs/PUDs or MUDs that add significant cost to the monthly payment...maybe $100-$200 extra a month.Also $2500 sounds high on rent to me for 1800sqft....I would think more like around $2000/month, but haven't looked in that area lately.I do like Forney....one issue is I don't think there are good demand drivers there. 

A South Korean company that supplies Tesla is inching closer to a transformative project - codenamed "Project Motion Forward" south of Austin that could make the company Buda's largest private-sector employer.Futronic's potential project is part of the continued "Tesla effect," referring to how electric vehicle suppliers have flocked to the region in response to Tesla's mammoth presence in eastern Travis County where the Elon Musk-led company has a huge factory and headquarters.

Maybe you are crushing it so much it is now your main revenue driver.