Take an NOI of 4100/mo less mortgage PITI of 1500, that's still a positive cashflow of $2600/mo - - that's a lot of nice dinners, trips to Europe or whatever floats your boat. 

Then you eventually decide it's no longer funny & it's just time to sell your portfolio & buy a boat.

[And are you suggesting that these days, new student loans will no longer be "free", because they changed the rules after a certain "miss the boat" date?]

@Dawn Oree  keep in mind the person doing 100 or 500 deals over 5 years  that's a boat load of capital they put together.. if its CA your talking 100 million  YES 100 Million at least..I suspect there was more to their success than a course ..

I am an agent who also works with investors and I am in the same boat as @Adam Odom when look at my most affluent clients that use me to purchase or sell their investment properties typically they will own the majority of their real estate free and clear.

  :)  I was recently in the same boat, 800+ credit applicant who inquired and expressed that YES she wanted the place first, and would look to move in about 2 years and relocate out of the area (just sold her home), and a 700 or so Credit score person who would likely rent for 3-5 years from me, maybe more. 

I need to update and have a friend in the same boat.

To post a property online in 5 mins you have to actually do a walkthrough, take photos (ok hire a photographer but that's not free... would be included in your PM's leasing fee), write a nice description, syndicate the posting across different rental aggregation platforms, etc.Most investors are not in that boat and as a result your timeframes are completely inaccurate.

@Paul Paschall I am in the exact same boat as the OP.  

@Darryl Jennings I think when people wait to purchase real estate in order to pay off debt they are missing the boat.