I am not a CPA so I would ask this question ahead of time, but to my understanding a regular investment property does not qualify as active income even if you are self managing.

Additionally, if you try to push rents, you will experience more vacancy, as there are fewer qualified tenants looking those areas at higher rent levels.  

https://www.har.com/content/newsroom/Houston Real Estate Highlights in November-Single-family home sales rebounded from a slight decline in October, rising 3.9 percent with 8,320 units sold versus 8,010 in October 2020;-Days on Market (DOM) for single-family homes dropped from 46 to 35;-Total property sales rose 5.6 percent with 10,216 units sold;-Total dollar volume increased 20.6 percent to $3.7 billion;-The single-family average price rose 12.6 percent to $383,807; -The single-family median price increased 16.3 percent to $314,000 – an all-time high first reached in June of 2021; -Single-family home months of inventory registered a 1.6-months supply, down from 2.1 months year-over-year and below the national inventory of 2.4 months;-On a year-to-date basis, single-family homes sales are 12.0 percent ahead of 2020’s record pace and 22.2 percent ahead of 2019.

Houston Real Estate Highlights in NovemberSingle-family home sales rebounded from a slight decline in October, rising 3.9 percent with 8,320 units sold versus 8,010 in October 2020;Days on Market (DOM) for single-family homes dropped from 46 to 35;Total property sales rose 5.6 percent with 10,216 units sold;Total dollar volume increased 20.6 percent to $3.7 billion;The single-family average price rose 12.6 percent to $383,807; The single-family median price increased 16.3 percent to $314,000 – an all-time high first reached in June of 2021; Single-family home months of inventory registered a 1.6-months supply, down from 2.1 months year-over-year and below the national inventory of 2.4 months;On a year-to-date basis, single-family homes sales are 12.0 percent ahead of 2020’s record pace and 22.2 percent ahead of 2019.Townhome/condominium sales rose 16.8 percent with the average price up 16.0 percent to $258,970 and the median price up 10.5 percent to $210,000;Single-family home rentals rose 7.1 percent with the average rent up 8.5 percent to $2,042; Townhome/condominium leases increased 5.1 percent with the average rent up 3.8 percent to $1,737.Source HAR 

I'm challenging myself to push my comfort zone and I'm going to do my best to go to an in-person auction (this will be my first) to see how it is done.

If your income is low, now may actually be a better time to sell off some Bitcoin, before regular income pushes you into higher tax brackets.

I have to put 10% down on the purchase or $22k plus fees that can push it close to $30k down.  

To quote the infamous philosopher Kanye: “what you think I rap for, to push a f***** Rav4?”

If it's both then I would be paying around 45% of my profit in taxes which would definitely push me to continue BRRRRing as opposed to flipping.

I've found that you have to push back on these real estate professionals on occasion.