Everyone has extra "free money" from the government, vehicles are more expensive and harder to get a hold of, etc.

Depending on what you're doing with the lawn as a landscaper, I will say it is much easier if "we" come in at the very end (last) if at all possible just so that we are not in the way of other contractors and they and their vehicles are not in our way things go much smoother. 

I believe real estate investing can be the vehicle that ultimately lifts me from the daily rat race.

They don't have to be mansions with manicured lawns, but you don't want a bunch of garbage and broken down vehicles in the yard.

You need to really dig in to see what it involves and then determine if that's something you want to pursue or if you prefer a different vehicle.1.

That being said, my advice is to get into an investment vehicle, a piece of real estate, sooner than later.  

I do put aside a little from each property every month in a savings account towards the purchase of my next vehicle, a truck for the business, which is on a 3 year time frame as well.

Syndications are a pretty broad investment vehicle.  

Another book I strongly recommend to get and keep in your vehicle, briefcase and or desk is Estimating rehab costs by J.Scott

Obviously, I am a bit biased, but I have never seen any other investment vehicle that provides such high returns relative the amount of risk you are taking and the low money you can put down.