The average turnkey rental make about $300/month.From what you said, using real estate as a side vehicle with your good salary and earnings is a good start, as well as investing in core things like index funds.

It is Vanguards total stock market index and consistently outperforms most ETF funds year over year. 

Midwest has inflated over the past 5 years (as everywhere else), indexed to cost of new construction.

I can "cash flow" more from my stocks/index funds and high yield savings account with far less stress. 

That's the only real answer to make anything work in a place like Boston.And to answer your question on returns, 4x-20x leverage (including owner occupant loan options) + appreciation is what makes real estate a better investment the index funds and worth the hassle.

My purpose here is only to give other small investors the opportunity to have all the information which they are not disclosing so they can make an informed decision, something no one did for me.I will close saying as the stock market indexes hit new records every week, it is really rich of you to try the BS that you write in your email.

If you want hands off get into the stock market and buy bonds, and S&P 500 index funds.The challenge for passive investing is you have little control.

If I put my money in the S&P 500 index fund, the annual return is about 10%.

For me, it was live in flips, short term rentals, mid term rentals, good income with a solid savings rate, buying after tax index funds, paying off the primary house, driving old cars, moving a lower cost of living area (from Houston to small town Maine), and selling a business to push me over the top. 

It's like full dividend re-invest on an index fund.