Quote from @Josh Lansberry: You will hear a lot of people bad-mouth him, but Dave Ramsey can teach you how to get financially savvy real quick.

If you need financial help, ask under the "Finance, Tax, and Legal" forum.

House hacking is financially a no-brainer and no city in the US (including Chicago) has more duplexes than Milwaukee.

I was just thinking today there was all this excitement about VA loan assumptions there for a while when interest rates started going up. 

There is no financial benefit in paying off a lower interest loan with a higher interest one.

Still, if you aren't whittling down the number you are analyzing financially to a small subset you see before deciding what to do, you are missing an essential part of getting to the tipping point of expertise in your field.

I encourage you to define your financial goals, as real estate presents numerous possibilities.Building a strong foundation of knowledge and connections can significantly impact your success in real estate investing.

I know that the general guidance is that emergency funds aren't to be invested, but given our financial security and the fact that we already have a personal e-fund in a safe, non-volatile location, would it still be crazy/unwise to invest this 15k in an S&P500 index fund in a brokerage? 

@Christopher ReynoldsIt's exciting to see your enthusiasm for real estate and your vision for financial independence.

Each of these asset classes requires a deep understanding of market conditions, legal nuances, and financial structuring to avoid costly mistakes.For example, tax liens can seem like easy wins but come with complications such as redemption periods and legal challenges.