Until then I plan on finishing my Bachelor’s Degree in Real Estate Studies, obtain my real estate agent license, and eventually a broker’s license with the intent of opening a property management business in Southern Alabama.

My first step is to buy a home for myself first which could eventually turn into a rental property and then work into buy and hold properties with SFH and small multi families.

Meet with and get a bank lined up, they'll eventually need a budget and order a preconstruction appraisal. 

Who knows, this property may have 0 issues but eventually you will come across a property that "looked good" in pictures yet had some major issues.

My goals with REI at first are to wholesale and get my feet wet and get some experience, and then eventually get a couple doors in my portfolio by the end of 2017.

If you don't have savings you could try going the hard money / BRRR route and use the profits to eventually buy another property or fund options 1 or 3 in the future.  

We eventually had to put some orange stuff on the trim and they went away.

Long story short, I was without good income, and eventually went bankrupt and lost my properties as well as my personal home. 

Money is a great faction creator, and if oops happen, and you lack knowledge in understanding the construction lingo/standards, then you and your father-in-law is talking different wavelengths, and that eventually turns into a misunderstanding.

Eventually you'll have to find a hobby and maybe learn to take naps in the afternoon.