However, I know that I do not want all my income to be reliant on my day job and live to watch my retirement account grow.I am probably doing better than a lot of people my age but am eager to take the correct steps to build a real estate portfolio.

the market is unforgiving right now, and if you buy a random property by looking on Zillow and turn it over to people you don't know to manage, you'll lose money.with respect to your specific question, if the property is safe, clean, and priced correctly, it will rent. but that doesn't mean you'll make money on it. 

I'm not well versed in the tax code by any means but this whole depreciation thing seems like something that applies to some people based on individual circumstance but the gurus preach it to the masses.

People like that are a negative drag in any forum and should NEVER be taken seriously.

I know a few people who have rentals near Temple.

Or should they be noticeably different to potentially capture a larger amount of people?

At the time my rate was like 4% and now it’s 10% so agreed with everyone else I wouldn’t do it for long term stuff, but then again I know people who do and it doesn’t seem to bother them so I guess it’s more how comfortable you feel. 

Our battery went out and our son had to crawl through a basement window but I doubt too many people could have done that, he was impressed by our increased security but didn't want to drive 2 hours back home so he found a way.  

A lotta people call me a mother(blank)er, but that hardly qualifies.Do they need support ala Section 8?

People usually ask similar questions to me in Reno, NV.