My situation is the housing prices near me are astronomical, however, I am not letting it discourage me from getting started.

If you get a good lease where the  landlord doesn't raise your rent astronomically, like many/most do, once you are successful, and if they are fair with you, then that can still be a very very good situation. 

Specifically in the Columbus, OH area as I live in Maryland and prices here are way to astronomical to get any reasonable ROI.The books that @Joe Miller recommended are some great reads.

This means, as appreciation grows the equity, it deludes it to the extent where a property is fully paid off (100% equity) that equity equals the PV...and the REI has been losing the true value of that equity for a long, long time...exponentially.Taking it a step further, if the CF and the doubled equity is reinvested at a 5 to 1 (20% DP) ratio, the return on the investment in dollars (not useless %%%) is astronomical. 

I would need fire sprinklers and solar etc and contractor costs are astronomical here.

Likewise, someone suffering from anxiety or depression would have one animal prescribed for that "disability".We all know emotional support animals are primarily a fraudulent method of getting pets into rentals, just like the astronomical increase in animals flying on planes.

Technically it would have been possible but the cost was astronomical.2.

Rents here are astronomical.

I've gotten a few quotes but they're either way too busy or their fees are astronomical.  

I just hope real estate prices going up astronomically in this specific part of Austin MSA isn't only because of Elon's dreams.