If you have, you have put yourself at great personal risk.Again, I recommend you get a lawyer as soon as possible.

Your first step is definitely learning about the markets you are interested in and figuring our what your desired end state / goal is that you are hoping to achieve through real estate.

@Erica King Sounds like this is more of a personal budgeting concern rather than a real estate one.

They prioritize personal development.

I personally like Alabama and Tennessee a lot, depending on what specific area you're looking at.Look for Class B or C properties in stable rental markets, particularly single-family homes or duplexes.

They actually have a licensed person in California.

I will reach out to you personally, please keep an eye out in your inbox.

What to do with the equity in this property will depend on what your personal finance plan says about your asset allocation. 

With a loan, a person takes on a Debt Obligation. 

Living in one unit and renting out the others allows you to deduct 75% of expenses like mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, and shared repairs as rental expenses, while the remaining 25% applies to personal use.