Also, it was a guy at Evolve I spoke to about the Scenario A. I

My wife and I would love to buy something soon and we will need to secure financing to do that, so I'm working with a family friend to figure out what that would look like and what buying power that would give it.  

WA, central (sunny side) LOLPros- No state income tax, low property taxes (1% ish), cheap power, no floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes or humidity, low crime, good appreciation, good job growth and per capita income. 

I know its not popular with realtors but technology is changing the game and giving the buyer and seller more power when it comes to real estate.

Sites like Buildium / Appfolio are great and powerful, however they start at about $50 per month. 

I would connect with a lender early on to bring clarity to your financial position, buying power, and deal criteria. 

With larger multifamily you will have more systems in place and more negotiating power.

That's a powerful incentive - family getaways, walking the beach when there's no crowd, restaurants with no crowd, seats at the bar. 

Seems to me the best way would be to buy as much data as I can,  throw it in a power dialer and blast through it. what's the best bang for my buck?

Knowledge (and networking) is power!