You have to weigh the benefit of the insurance claim payment versus potentially having your carrier cancel you and perhaps get black-balled by the insurance industry.

I took a break from reading "Money: Master the Game" by Tony Robbins to read all of your hurdles.

It could take years of sacrifice and saving to get into this game and most people don't want to wait that long.  

Also find some funding and some friends that can help catapult me to where I am trying to go.Hey Jerome,I used to be in the trucking industry myself.

The amount of downpayment requirement insures buyers having "skin in the game". 

And, not confident of the earnings/industry in the area to feel good about LTR. 

Our industrial and commercial spaces have been much more lenient, but it needs to come into residential as well. 

I would like to use the garage as a game room for the kids.

It's simply a numbers game. 

You might find it useful to attend a meetup or two just to learn how other folks got their start into the industry :) I host a small/intimate meetup once a month in LIC, check it out here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521/topics/1214850-meet...