Hi Hunter,It sounds like you've built a solid foundation in real estate with a variety of experiences—that’s awesome!

When the time came to sell, I anticipated a solid profit from the deal.

Not many people are excited to see long-time solid neighbors leave and have them replaced by a short-term rental. 

If you're able to save $50-100K per year for 14 years (when you're 40), a combination of getting solid deals, paying down debt, and having a target goal of income vs expenses, it's definitely doable.  

I furnished 2 STRs for that amount, just go to either high-end thrift stores or a lower-end antique store....you'd be surprised at how little you can pay for solid wood furniture...

Therefore, any strategic/investing where you have a solid plan to get most/all of your capital back would be my target for this type of capital.

Starting with a single-family home in Kansas City is a smart move, and it sounds like you’re really digging into the numbers, which is super important for making informed decisions.From what you’ve shared, your offer of $140,000 with an 8% interest rate and a 20% down payment seems like a solid starting point.

., and I still love Cook County because I have a solid team and underwrite deals properly.I think @Paul De Luca nailed it on the head, though - it seems like you are quite risk-adverse, so maybe given your risk tolerance, it's not the best idea, but if it were me, I would not think twice about it, and find a rock start property manager who knows exactly how to vet tenants.

But make that police report with the video evidence as the insurance company is going to want a copy.

Once you clarify where you are and where you wan to be the answer should be self evident to you.