Real estate investing is a numbers game. 

Stay laser focused on the best deal available right now ( or continue to save - patience is usually rewarded in the real estate game and haste can be punished severely).1031 is for investment. 

28 years old in Ohio looking to learn the game and become financially free through RE investing.

KFC would benefit when their competitors believed customers still bought chicken from KFC.I do not mean this to be rude, but I must point out the irony.   

I am VERY new to the game (just officially licensed yesterday) but I have been reading a lot on BP since I started the RE journey 8-9 months ago.

They have more skin in the game then you do.Make sure you get clear title.

My background is in customer service and TV/Film production -- a clear path to real estate, don't you think?! 

All good thoughts, in regard to the pros/cons of a 30 mortgage versus 15 years, as related to the end-game of producing monthly cash flow from a property, which, as a CPA for thirty years, I understand the finance concepts; however, I completely agree with the way that @Joe Villeneuve explained it, very simply, that "cash" is a verb, i.e., cash now, can be used again, and again, and again. 

The past five years and the associated learning curve has left me with little expendable cash so I need to play the waiting game for a bit and build some capitol.  

I’m ready to get in the game.