If you are willing to come to the Fort Worth side you'll have a few more choices. 

He made the unfortunate choice of loving NYC and stayed as a renter in Manhattan.In 2004, we both bought Investment properties, but I bought in Brooklyn, he bought in CT and cashed flowed about $1k per month.

I feel this will be a safe choice because the first one will be generating about 1200/m and facing any vacancies or unexpected incidents that could be very helpful.

Cleveland is the one I am most familar with and it's also very popular with investors across the USA so I figured you'd get some value out of reading The Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods.

Rehab choices - We decided to do a full refresh.

That would mean it would be illegal to do a sub2 wrap because by doing so you only have two choices, dont tell the lender or have the note called due.

I made poor choices with money, so i had to teach myself about money first which has been a huge change for me that i like.

He emails me: "I will give you 10% of what we get paid in the form of a gift certificate of your choice."

I don't feel that I ~need~ a degree for this career choice but would love to receive the education from college.

I think it is OK to use a HELOC, it just wouldn't be my first choice.