House hacking and multi-family properties are great ways to start in real estate!

If Apartment A is a 2-bed/1-bath with a washer/dryer and Apartment B is a 1-bed/1-bath with no washer/dryer, Apartment A should pay a higher rate.

I once bought a house that had been on the MLS for over a year.

We had a tenant HUD approved Section 8 where we had 12 people ina 4 bedroom house. 

How are you going to acquire 30 houses free & clear?

I had a similar strategy with my first few house hacks: buy in great A & B Chicago neighborhoods....get by with minimum cash flow, and wait...What's your plan for the next purchase Michael?

I just bought 5 houses in 5 days in 3 states, 1 of the states I never bought property before. 

If you're willing and able, I do recommend the "house hacking" strategy which is just a fancy name for buying a rental property and living in one of the units, because you'll get very favorable financing - an owner-occupied fixed-rate 30-year mortgage.I'd also say, analyze that property as if you won't live there and it's a pure rental, and make sure the property is still cash flow positive if there's a tenant in your unit because then you'll know if it's actually a good investment.And when you analyze it, include payment of a property manager in your #s because if you don't, and doing so would make it go cash flow negative, then you've just bought yourself a job because you literally can't step away from managing it without losing money.

Computers can analyze property based on subjective data (square footage, # of beds/baths, etc.) but cannot calculate for objective data (quality of kitchen cabinets/counters, size of bedrooms and bathrooms, view out the living room window, etc.).You should study the market yourself.

Im looking at house hacks in Raleigh or Greensboro.