And true friendship can be one of the things that helps him to persevere and give him a reason to start digging himself out of his current situation.2) Focus on Things That Awaken Those Passions and Desires He Once HadYour friend has a Master's Degree. 

My only concern is the renter tripping GFCI's and calling every time - I guess it is easy enough to just tell them to reset.I am handy enough to do the GFCI replacements - when I was a teenager, I volunteered on projects thru my religious organization in the electrical department.

With my last few years in Indiana I got very interested in real estate investing and read everything I could while listening to bigger pockets podcasts religiously. 

Besides reporting to the police  I would reach out to your local religious organization, local politician, to see if any community watch dog  drives are existent or being organized ..

You will have to make this decision (possibly with the help of your parents).If you need some clarity on this decision read Tony Robbins book "Awaken the Giant Within" and write out the life plan things the book recommends.

Besides listening to the BiggerPockets podcasts religiously, reading as many articles as I can, and networking as often as possible, what concrete steps can I take towards becoming a real estate investor?

I'm told many religious families, especially Jewish, have large families do this, have their Rabbi vouch for them, and  get it approved.

@Matthew Truty congratulations on your early awakening!

Apply for scholarships religiously and work your way through it.

Here's the kicker...your religious beliefs do not allow you to dabble in interest.