Having watched many prior co-workers get paid, cash their check at the casino, and promptly deposit it all into a slot machine I can tell you with pretty good certainty that casinos don't have a positive effect on disposable income and good use of the existing income in the area surrounding :)Are there solid local employers OTHER than the casino in a 15-minute drive? 

Since then, my cabins have tripled in value - worth easily $800K or more, and have produced $696,XXX in rents.  

I have gone lower before for high producing properties. 

these can produce good returns but best chance for success is for those that have experience in this area (I am a partner on an effort adding 8 ADUs, but it is not performing to the initial underwriting (underperforming) and it is an experienced team).good luck I get it, but not everyone has the opportunity of scale and building multiple units.

Perhaps shadow a top producer in your office, After that stability and you have a nest egg.

You mentioned that you are not a W-2, but that is not the only status of income producing individuals. 

If you are using it to buy a turnkey property which needs to produce cash flow to be considered a viable deal how does buying turnkey(Little to no cash flow) combined with HML(High interest only debt) make alot of sense financially? 

That way you have a home base that isn't sitting vacant and you are producing income. 

I want to invest it wisely so that a part of it is used for my living expenses and the remainder invested in RE producing cash flow and appreciating over time.

This amounts to lost opportunity because if you had purchased RE, at the closing it can start producing return. 5) ADUs detract from the existing structure whether this is privacy, a garage, or just yard space. 6) this is related to number 1, but there are many more buyers looking to purchase homes for their family than there are RE investors looking to purchase small unit count properties.