I too want to retire between 40-45 and I've realized that I'll need two 'retirement incomes' One, which is not in a 'retirement account' per se, to provide for my family from 40-59 1/2 and the other, more traditional, that can carry us until our end of days. 

Unrelated to investing per se but relative to fundamentally addressing the real world practices of effecient infrastructure in residential buildings as a whole is the extreme and profound unwillingness of individual property owners to actually embrace and implement equipment & methodologies to mitigate the "purported" climate crisis.From my myopic perspective having to fight with residential customers who have zero knowledge of thermo dynamic, ohm's law and efficiency measures is highly hypocritical.People claim to care but are closed minded to energy saving and efficient operating homes.End rant

I don't believe the goal should be housing per se, it should be more like self sufficiency while respecting other peoples rights.

I don't look at states per se, I look at markets.  

So far the two markets where I own (SE FL and Philadelphia) are still going gangbusters. 

But I can see those with limited experience not going into real estate more than their personal resi and maybe some managed funds etc.Most of those on BP have chosen this as a profession.. and stacking up rentals is a small business its not an investment per se in the context I think they are talking about.. your managing your assets and some do ok many don't.. 

If they do not want to put that much money into one property then maybe they invest in a sponsor type deal on a larger property for 25k to 100k cash in per deal.they maybe accredited but by and large it appears not real estate savvy per se ! 

I will be sure to check them out.Do you have any REIA's to recommend in the SE (MI) region @Joe Delia?

I actually live in SE Portland and it would be great if we could meet over coffee sometime! 

Great to connect with another local investor, I'm based in Milwaukee and invest in SE WI.