Good news part: My current interest rate is a VA loan with 3.25% on $405,000  balance & my property recently appraised in the $1.1 million range (really good part)Seeking the HOW!

@Ashley Wolfe STR is very difficult to manage remotely.

How did/do you balance young children, working full time, and still moving forward on the goal of good management and more properties?

It is difficult to advise since you do not have a business plan yourself.

Housing supply and demand is so out of balance.

Doing a LO in TX is so difficult that the official State Bar of Texas Real Estate Practice Manual (our form bible) completely removed the paperwork.

I love your story of slow and steady learning before investing...the first purchase is always the most difficult - at least it was for me.

PM me and I can give you the details.Their difficultly is probably their serviceability on the loans as banks assume that once at retirement age in AU (65+) that they are going to give up work if they haven't already. 

If you get your license for a career in real estate that's fine, but it is very difficult to get started as an agent, you will probably make very little or even lose money your first year, and if you're also paying for college that could put you behind the eightball.

Trying to establish a work/life balance will be tough.