Then reality hits and you find yourself in over your head.

It's a fairly unregulated space (charging grandma $750 to puts around for 3 hours, after moving the old box from the horizontal sensor, which was the only problem with the garage door to begin with), so some combination of carefully reading reviews (you have to actually read them to make sure it's not 200 fake reviews), and maybe not giving them the full contract all at once, is in order. 

If you’re unsure about which specific account to choose, ask a local CPA or banker, since every situation can vary.

It's also unfortunate, that veterans (like you and I) can't do a cash-out refinance using a VA cash-out. 

Then connect with a variety of investors until you find the specific type of real estate that you want to do.  

I'm here in the Atlanta area if you ever have any questions.  

If you are having trouble finding a duplex, is house hacking an option?

It may seem easy to jack up rent but there is something to be said about good, on-time paying tenants.As an accountant, I always rely on the numbers.

It is harder to find good information if the forum is cluttered with low value information. 

While I find this the ideal way to buy more properties it also stunts my growth and I tend to lose patients.