And don't be afraid to reach out to a property management company and/or an accountant to get some help or at least some advice.

There is obviously less "risk" with just paying off my loans, but I am not afraid to carry my student debt if I am confident that my money is being better used elsewhere.Thanks for any insight and opinions! 

That being said if there were a crash, it is nothing to be afraid of.

I'm just a little gun shy and afraid people aren't going to perceive me as someone who can help them because of my age.

Landlords afraid to be strict are usually walked all over by tenants.   

If you are willing to take one risk, I don't see why you'd be afraid of the other.

Don't be afraid to jump in once you've learned what you need for the 1st step.

@Kyle Murphy, Hello, I hate to see this kind of question as it makes me afraid for you and your girlfriend to even think of taking on more debt before you have paid off all of your other debts.

First thing is don't be afraid to walk away from a deal where the numbers don't make sense.  

Just gotta decide if this is something you are really interested in and if so, continue to do your homework, and don't be afraid to ask questions here.