Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

A couple months ago there was a guest on the BP money pod that said something I really liked, "put your risk in your ROTH" and by that he meant that if you're going to invest in something riskier that has the potential to have large returns, put that in your ROTH account because you're only taxed on what goes IN to your ROTH, not what comes out.

I would look at buying 5 properties using loans that have some sort of value add aspect in a market that I believe will appreciate at the minimum of the historic national average.This may be a rather boring and unflashy answer but I believe it would be the best money spent in my current knowledge and expertise.  

Money is money.

Can you use the money and get a better return?

Could these waits be mitigated by going the hard/private money route?

Money was deposited into my account the day after checkout.

With conventional financing becoming more restrictive, real estate investors may turn to hard money loans for acquisitions and rehab projects.

.#2  MINDSET:  Just like some people will NEVER become real estate investors regardless of time, money, related profession, - MOST people will never become real estate investors.   

For me it’s been a blessing and money well spent.