If you value simplicity and consistent income over high appreciation potential, this might align well with your goals.

By utilizing one provider for both services, both can be aligned, customized to your portfolio’s needs which should achieve a better outcome overall.Real estate investing can be very complex and navigating taxes, compliance and insurance can be overwhelming and complex, deterring some people from expanding their portfolio or from investing at all.

There are a couple of key components to this.

This is consistent with data from sources like Zillow, Redfin, and the local Santa Barbara Association of Realtors.However, when I go to "Pick Markets" and select Santa Barbara, the median home price listed is $620,000, which doesn’t align with what I’ve observed locally.

And second, it'll help you find a mentor that aligns with your goal - someone who's already achieved what you want to do.

To align with community property laws and avoid legal or financial complications, consider forming a jointly owned LLC with your wife as a member.

Repaying debt is not necessarily aligned with achieving financial freedom - true FI is cashflow coming from many assets - hopefully this illustrates how paying off debt drains your liquidity for down payments of money to buy said assets.

In recent years he seems to be aligning himself with other programs which I also do not find appealing.

This aligns with your financial situation and helps mitigate risks associated with high debt-to-income ratios.

For your next steps, focus on identifying areas in Northeastern PA with strong rental demand and property values that align with your cash flow goals.