Assuming you have 5 units, each worth 300K, and you could afford the loss of one, but not all.

Smaller markets like Ocala, Spring Hill, and Palmetto can be great for affordable buy-and-hold strategies, while Gainesville offers unique student rental potential.

My perspective is that I'm very pro-California appreciation and I'm willing to take some negative cash flow for a while (if someone can afford it).You mentioned that you may move back in the next 3.5 years.

Work with someone who can guide you or just accept that your tuition will be paid through making some costly mistakes which is also legit if you can afford that :-) Good luck!

Voucher holders are wildely more risky than tenants who can afford to rent high end properties.

I was forced to buy my first house because my roommate moved out and I couldn't afford to live alone.

The city offers more affordability compared to the DMV area, with many renovated homes selling below 350k giving you a better chance at finding a property that fits your budget while avoiding sky-high prices.

After spending 25 years as a Software Engineering and Product leader, I’m now exploring the world of real estate investing (REI) and looking forward to learning from all of you.My goal is to leverage my current investments and savings to build a real estate portfolio that will eventually allow me to transition away from my current career.

The money you invest needs to be money that you don't need back for at least five years, and to put it bluntly, you can afford to lose it all in the (hopefully unlikely) event that the investment fails. 

KT is an ancient and inherently dangerous product.