Rachel, I feel like we are in very similar shoes.

Matthew, I feel  your frustration and remember being in  your shoes. 

Put yourself in the shoes of prospective tenants and the number one thing for them will be location.

Focus on the long game.If I were in your shoes, I'd be thinking about increasing my portfolio (1 unit to 2-3 units). 

If I were in your shoes, I'd start DVD (driving for dollars).

Others want to have a family, which becomes their highest priority ... etc.If I were in your shoes, I would sit down with the wife and write down the goals with actual numbers and dates and run them by your friend or some other folks here...There are tons of strategies in real estate, some more lucrative than others, but require some level of expertise, which you can only build once you get in the game more seriously.Year 0: Skills: Basic RE Education.

I was in your shoes a couple months ago and after many midnight calls with my agent/investment buddy @David Ribardo, I finally closed on my first property last week.

If I were in your shoes, I'd accept cats with a set security deposit, and only 1 dog (over 1 yr) -- breed restrictions and a much higher security deposit, and of course monthly pet rent.   

Carlos Casanueva It really isn’t rocket science but I try to put myself in the shoes of an investor.

I would not ever put myself in your shoes or try to understand your situation - what I am sharing is that sometimes it is best to look for a solution that creates the best win/win and look at what you could lose (from all angles) after you identify all the routes you can take.