This would be ideal in terms of cash flow (after a few years) and equity appreciation since you'd be achieving tremendous returns on limited equity in the form of appreciation, principal paydown and tax benefits aside from only cash flow. 

And second, it'll help you find a mentor that aligns with your goal - someone who's already achieved what you want to do.

My exit strategy is to hold the home 2-5 years and to purchase another home with the new equity I would have achieved by renting the bottom portion and with market appreciation.

But I can't help but think that I could benefit from the occasional discussion about real estate strategies or bounce opportunities off one another.Coach Carson's RPM program details below:Cost: ~$2500/yearBenefits (form Website):Personalized Coaching: Members receive direct support and feedback from Coach Carson and selected coaches, including monthly group coaching sessions, one-on-one "hot seat" calls, and small group coaching within Action Teams.Action Teams: These are accountability groups of 8-10 members that meet weekly over a three-month period to set and achieve goals, fostering perseverance and resilience among participants.Comprehensive Resources: Members have access to a repository of documents, systems, checklists, and more in the community swipe file, including tenant screening criteria, due diligence checklists, and rental analysis spreadsheets.Exclusive Community: RPM offers a private community of like-minded investors who prioritize time and freedom over scaling rapidly, providing a supportive environment for shared learning and growth.The Group Targets:Investors with experience owning 1 to 8+ properties, whether short-term (e.g., Airbnb), mid-term, or long-term rentals.Individuals who are coachable, hardworking, and value time and freedom over aggressive scaling.

While new developments are on the rise, it will take a few years for the community to fully revitalize and achieve a more cohesive look.

I have $50,000 left over from my house flip that I can use for my next deal.Any advice from other investors, especially ones local to the area, on how to best leverage my $50,000 in order to achieve my goals would be greatly appreciated! 

If it is working with subs, a GC license won't help that in any practical way.At the end of the day, it depends on what you are looking to achieve.  

Let time do it's thing over 5-10 years, you can take advantage of the tax benefits in the meantime then 1031 exchange into lower cost, higher yielding markets to achieve those goals.Great thing abotu real estate is if you have the capital you have options and options are always good.

I don't know what your lifestyle is like, but if you're able to save $200K-$300K or so per year, this is extremely achievable. 

You can test that side of it out to see if it's a good fit for you, but take some time to find which side is the right fit for you because that will be a key to achieving long-term success.Also build as many sponsor relationships as you can in the beginning because that'll give you plenty of options when you find a deal.