I have family in Houston, Dallas, and the Valley, I was networking with brokers in San Antonio, but the Taxes seem to be quite high as well in that State, although much favorable laws/regs on the landlord side.

Try being an agent, your phone number is EVERYWHERE and you get targeted by a whole industry that wants to sell you the latest gimmick.Here is what helped me.I answer calls and when it's a telemarketer I will interrupt them and say very friendly (because I don't hate the poor person who gets paid to do this and coached to be ruthless): Hey, so glad you called, can you do me a big favor? 

But I see no advantage to trying to favor them. 

For example, if I do S/P top stocks, I could get around 11%. but if I did real estate and I have a 800 credit score - could I do real estate and make it work harder doing turn key Multifamily. 

Credit is in order and I have a steady income.

WE dont pay a fee for the credit line as I mentioned just 1/2 point for each new loan..

Perhaps partnering with a real estate agent using the BP real estate agent finder tool may work out in your favor.

Courtesy of Dodd Frank, its doubtful the self employed will ever be viewed by lenders as favorable as a w2 employee.

Instead, you could explore pulling equity out through a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or a cash-out refinance.

They always make sure to have line(s) of credit to get them through challenging periods.