I find people do best with what they are passionate about and what they know or want to learn.Focus on your financial goals and your portfolio.  

Second option puts me in more debt for a bit but a quicker start on acquiring properties. 

Hey, It's pretty hard to find a multi-family here that actually makes financial sense.

@Stephen Anderson SInce I am out of state I would need reliable property managers and need to know the economics of the same so that I can plug into my financial analysis.

In the time I had a position in Prosper, I never saw them collect on any bad debts.

After my first baby girl was born I needed a more flexible schedule to tend to my kid so I quit my wonderful pharm tech job and become an insurance/financial representative with COUNTY Financial.

I can do this with either dpsecured debt or an option secured by a performance deed of trust.I'm careful to negotiate to not be responsible for the debt portion of the lien and if the debt remains an obligation of the seller or the seller's estate, I just want the asset released. 

I have a background in the construction industry and have watched others do it but never felt comfortable putting my family in financial jeopardy by taking the risk.

Pre-approval for a Mortgage means you are approved for a total amount of added debt based on the monthly payments you will have to make to pay off that debt.  

It sounds like your well on your way to Financial freedom.