My main concern is the interest rates being so high now as to whether what I'm hoping to achieve is really even possible. 

@Cheng ChuMcKinney is a fantastic market with strong population growth, and it’s a great choice for single-family home (SFH) investments.

My main goal is it be able to retire at age 40 from my main job and work entirely on my real estate portfolio.

Popular choices like Fidelity, Schwab, or Vanguard let you invest in a range of stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs.

El Paso cash flows beautifully with minimum down payment and has plenty of choices.

I have seen some offers from Main Street come through, which is one of the biggest hedge fund type buyers.I've seen offers from Offer Pad and Opendoor in the last few weeks as well.

If there is a choice to be made, it comes down to what an investor "likes" or prefers about one over the other? 

A small multifamily property is a smart choice for a first investment—it offers a great balance of income potential and manageable scale for someone new to the space.Don’t worry about being ambitious; it’s clear you’ve done your homework, and you’re already ahead of the game by setting a clear goal.

Yes Pittsburgh is a good choice for Investors who either live here or are remote as the buy-in is a lot more conducive than other more saturated markets.

be smart make the right choice