From my experience, you can use that savings to house hack with an FHA loan, invest in a turnkey property in a more affordable market, or even partner with others to expand your purchasing power.

Furniture is another story; we have tons of suppliers.

Udemy and Coursera have affordable options, and they could help you feel more confident when pitching yourself.It sounds like you’re in a great position to get started.

.- Tenant submitted a work order for low water pressure in 2 bathrooms- Tenant submitted a work order because the garage door doesn't close all the way and left a 2-3 inch gap at the bottom- Owner initially refused to address either work order- Owner demanding the tenants place furniture pads on each piece of furniture- Owner calling multiple times to speak through the work orders, asking when they've been scheduled, calling a couple days later requesting the invoices- Owner calling because they want to access their storage in the basement so they can remove several pieces of furniture being stored- Owner now emailing requesting multiple property inspections throughout the lease cycle- Owner questioning my experience and relative PM knowledge because I'm not following up with her in a timely manner (the following day after the work order)Keep in mind, this is 2 weeks after the tenants had moved in and the tenants are very happy in the home.This is something we see on a regular basis.

I don't think we will be able to afford a 1.5M+ mortgage without a huge down payment (sale of our house).I feel this would be going backwards as we would focus on one property preventing us to do other things.

That being said due to the number of sharks out there I would only spend money that I can afford to lose. 

Given your goals, Indy could be a great fit—affordable pricing, solid appreciation, and strong Section 8 demand with reliable property management options.

Memphis has a pretty affordable housing market and tends to offer solid rental yields, which might align well with your goals.Let me know if you need any more info or want to chat further about this.

Staging versus furnishing: students are hard in furniture.  

People start moving in with their TOH homes (back in the day when everyone could afford one) and the park starts to fill up.