The beauty is, you can rinse and repeat, moving your equity up the ladder of properties, from a small duplex in Austin to a bigger aprtment complex in San Antonio, or even pivot into a promising commercial spot right here in the Phoenix area.I remember a friend of mine who started off nervous as heck about his first exchange.

The more properties we walk through, the better we get at spotting potential issues before they become surprises.

Even discounting the ocean, ca has the highest and lowest spots in continuous US (and you can do them both in the same day if you are fit enough).  

The seller of 22 properties is in a tight spot and needs his properties sold ideally within 60 days.

The more you know, the easier it will be to spot a good deal and avoid overpaying.- Build a Strong Buyers List EarlyA solid buyers list is your safety net.

Whatever you decide, it sounds like you're in a great spot and I wish you the best of luck! 

While Vegas might feel like a good choice because it’s closer, let me make the case for Panama City Beach or Destin—they’re the kind of spots that could turn your first investment into a major win.Here’s the thing: PCB and Destin aren’t just beach towns—they’re vacation magnets.

Commissions don’t like to do Spot zoning changes.  

. - Definitely not in a spot to have full time people yet and even if I did I would need someone I trusted to manage them which only adds a further cost to things.

To piggyback on Henry's comments, he's spot on with #4.