We had a similar come-to-Jesus moment in spring 2016 and realized the same thing (even more motivation - my line of work doesn't even boast a steady W-2). 

I noticed that remodeled homes and rentals are boasting nice earth tone interior paint schemes these days.

Both products boast similar target returns, and public REITs have things going for them, such as: A track record of double digit percentage annual returns; Dividends that have increased over time; and Liquidity.With that said, when it comes to deciding between a publicly traded REIT and a private equity real estate fund to invest in, you should choose both.They are different types of investments and both have their place in a diversified portfolio.

@Steve Babiak I didn't want to boast!

A few years ago I read an article that Pueblo boasted some of the cheapest real estate in the nation.

The point of this post is not to brag or boast but to simply share my beliefs on how I got to this point (and rather quickly).  

Right now Montgomery is boasting an inventory full of low cost SFR’s that would be GREAT for rentals.

Even crowdfunding platforms boasting 11% returns, isn't it?

I personally don't like the larger brokerages with big names, because you pay a monthly fee to just have that branding, which is total BS, I think they get people because they boast about training offered.

Austin as one of the most desirable rental markets in the U.S. for 2017, making it a sound choice for local and remote real estate investors.In fact, Austin is No. 9 in ranking for highest demand markets, which means it boasts some of the strongest supply and demand fundamentals in the nation."