You need to search for properties near your subject property deal that look like and have the same size as your end result aka a comp aka a comparable.Any quality agent can run your comparable market analysis (CMA), and over time, with practice, you can run your own comps. 

How much time are you allocated with the your mentor?

If you switch later, that is another set of problems.When entering a transaction is easy, but trying to balance, analysis reports is a challenge - Now is the time you need to take an accounting course - learn debits and credits and more.Pick and choose wisely.

Buying a 2nd Primary Home - You can absolutely buy a second primary home at any time after you fulfill your current commitment. 

As a total noobie here (apologies ahead of time!)

My question is, can I pay my husband, who is not on the title,  as a property manager for his time cleaning and repairing a unit I own?     

But beyond that fact, I have posed many times over "what is conservative"?  

Then they need to get cleaners lined up (and they often have several units turning over at the same time, so that takes a few days) and have to do inspections and then fix things.

The issue with doing this method is it takes more money up front for the renovations, you are buying older properties which may have more needed capital expenditures, and it takes more time and energy.

We spend a lot of time at Kings Island.