Obviously our marriage and our joint happiness is so much more important than becoming financially free a couple years earlier.

Again, I'm just a guy so do your own homework but I've been there before, knee deep in raw sewage and when you're going through Hell, keep going.   

I file jointly and we are able to put enough of our income into a retirement plan that we can be below 89,000 in income (including rental income).

Start building your network meanwhile by Meetups for Real Estate and also  Facebook Groups for Real Estate in your areaMaybe you can get into a Joint Venture with some one and that can escalate the time to buy  a property

I was looking at the TCU and Joint Force base area.

Try a private lender  and a Joint Venture

Knee-jerk attorneys who say they won't close in some states and jubilant REA/Brokers may disagree, but the attorneys who understand plain English advise that there is no ban on wholesaling coming.

@Tony Payper If you are open  to Joint Ventures and also equity partners, you will have more options:)

Each partner determines their own RE professional status if not married and MFJ (Married Filing Joint).

I am curious if classifying my spouse as a real estate professional can offset ordinary income when filing jointly.