I remember my friend telling me it was going to crash in '13 '14 '15 '16 etc, but it still hasn't happened. 

I am looking to get started with single or multi family homes and would like to grow a portfolio however I can.

Remember no zoning in Houston, kinda weird like that here. 

Other thing to remember too is, as a college kid who did a spring break in Myrtle beach, be prepared for some damages.

After all, a low pot is coming from Canada who has the best manufacturing and growers and this would screw Mexico's drug cartels (if those walls ever get built).Issues that operators face Politics aforementionedDifficult to get lending - some banks have an outright banIt's the wild wild west - similar to the Crowdfunding sites where companies are jockeying for dominance to be the eBay or Amazon of the spaceWays to Invest In Cannabis Repurposed industrial space to store inventory as well as growing CannabisBuy the ETF like MJGive an unsecured loan or invest in a Fund that funds operatorsInvest in a syndication/private placement

You can certainly find towns with cheaper homes, but Colorado Springs is a desirable town that is growing quickly, and will continue to grow for years to come. 

It also has strong economic and demographic trends with a growing population and jobs.

The population and jobs have been growing by 2-3.5 % per year, and the cost of living is still below the national average.  

Refinancing seems almost impossible and I'm getting really high rates and only ably 65% LTV options w a 670 score Is there a workable option that can let me access my equity in a way that allows me to grow my business?

Start small and grow.