So in my opinion why go to A, B, C, D if your goal is to go to "Y".Julian, it's obvious that you are a very very intelligent person that is very very driven....  

So my thought was how to invest in something where I can store my toys and make out in the end.

I hope to one day get a vacation house there but it would be a "toy" and not necessary an investment.

Men like their toys.

I have actually been toying with the idea of doing the same thing.What you are actually talking about is starting a business and not necessarily just real estate.

I started with Quicken Rental Property manager and soon realized this is a toy of limited value for me.

I am looking at taking it to the next level and have been toying around with the idea of some 4 unit apartments.

I should have kept each of my cars a few more years than I did, but I got bored, and I wanted a new toy.  

According to photographs, there were clothes/toys/misc things all over the floors, covering the floor of 3 front closets.  

I have been specifically toying with the concept of implementing a branding strategy for property rentals that would allow people to identify and connect with my properties on a different level than just finding them on a housing search site.