Where we spend different amounts of money is the fit and finishes (windows, appliances, counters, tile, cabinets, fixtures, etc).  

My goal is to continue to grow our rental property portfolio so my wife and I can retire early, travel and spend time with our family.

My goal is to get members to be active participants and make this group as practical and dynamic as possible.

Speaking only for insurance, my first questions as an agent are usually: tell me about yourself, what are your goals?

Set lofty goals.

I thought I would present this situation to the BP community and ask their advice and opinion on the whole concept of paying off debt versus using Real Estate as a vehicle to help you reach your goals.

I feel like purchasing a duplex, living in one unite, renting the other out, and purchasing a deal where the numbers work correctly to where my living expenses would be paid for by my tenant, would be an excellent way to not only help me achieve my goal of paying off my student loan debt, but also help me get a taste of what land lording is like to see if it is a route I would enjoy taking. 

I don't buy properties that require an HOA and the utilities are always covered by the tenant.So if I have a market that has 3B/@B homes for $100K the 1% figure I like to apply only tells me that the rent needs to be around $1000/month.When I find properties that fit that criterium, all the other important aspects start coming into play, but all the properties that don't meet the 1% are out.These other criteria include things like the quality of the schools, the distance to restaurants and shopping, the crime rate in the area, the stability of tenants, meaning how long are typical lease agreement.

Explore your goals, and your fears.  

There are so many different factors at play...your goals, your next deal, the situation at hand of your LTV, credit score, loan amount, etc...that affect the available terms and whether it's best to go 15yr or 30yr.It's always best to work with an investor-friendly lender that has your interests in mind, and can work with you to strategize a few moves ahead, like chess.