REI is simply a place to park your money.

Right now, you can Invest your $150,000 in T-bills until you have enough to make a move.

Simply be a calm stand off landlord who is expecting his tenants to honor the lease - Not you accommodate their personal situation.

There are so many gurus online pushing 0 down loans, and it simply does not exist if you have no experience, assets, or reserves.

I turn 40 next week and while I originally had a goal to be fully retired from my cubicle at 50...the idea of 10 more years simply hurts to think about it.  

Sometimes the best way to find the right type of mentor is simply growing your network and going about your business. 

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are both extremely strong right now , with most people overpaying in the years that you mentioned and simply not KNOWING OR CARING  how to properly run a top notch Air BNB. 

We do have a house we rent in the area and simply love it.

It is simply far too tenant friendly. 

To prove payments you could simply show your latest statement to the lender denying you hundreds of thousands of dollars.