@Jon Gorman the etf NOBL (dividend aristocrats) pays out less than 3.14%.

There is an order you need to use for cash and debt that allows you to use the same cash over and over...and starting out with debt, although it seems like a way to stretch your cash, in fact only stretches the use of your cash one time.Look at this as a dance...the "Hokie, Pokie".  

Additionally if your goal is passive income, dividend stocks are the holy grail, forget about real estate altogether and skip right to collecting "Aristocrat" stocks. 

For passive investing I just buy blue chip "aristocrat" dividend stocks.   

Especially if she sitting in the poky already. ( sorry it tickles me to think of the look on her face when they come to hall her off,  you don't mess with the elderly animals or children I digress sorry) I really hope this helps I feel for you Brother. 

I'd also do 45% blue chip stocks from the "Dividend Aristocrats" list, and 5% cash ... live off the interest and dividend income so you never need to liquidate any assets ever unless you choose to.

Lastly, diversification.. why not consider putting some money into REITs or Dividend Aristocrat stocks or just plain old S&P500 fund to keep up with the gains in the market?

If you don’t feel like your local real estate market is a viable place to invest currently, then diversify into other investments like blue chip aristocrat dividend stocks (great passive income for retirement without the hassles of owning rental property), or syndications/ partnerships/ lending/ more passive real estate investment vehicles.

@Kim Durst what I see a lot of folks doing who are ready to move from more active to more passive investments is NNN commercial RE (may even be able to 1031, or reverse 1031 considering you’ve already sold most of your properties, to avoid some cap gains), high-yield dividend stocks like an ETF heavily weighed with aristocrat stocks, or “becoming the bank” by getting into the lending game.

Appreciation comes in spurts.The Blackfoot area is a desirable location, with good schools and a short drive to shopping in either IF or Poky.