You might want to explore Athens or Decatur, still within commuting distance to Huntsville government jobs, but real estate prices not so high. 

I got my real estate license at 19 so it's definitely a good move.

Overall, this one hasn't scared me away from investing in real estate and I'm looking forward to what comes next!

You could be making real money by investing wisely.Also, I wouldn't be sure that Cali will always appreciate at the rate that it typically has.

I am learning so much, and I am looking forward to investing in real estate. 

I’ll be moving to Madrid in September to study my Masters in Real Estate.  

@Khayla WilliamsI strongly recommend against borrowing 100% for a propertyThere is significant risk in owning real estate including section 8 and maintaining the home in a certain condition and if you do t have the funds for those repairs you could lose it all.I always recommend people budget and save enough for a down payment and reserves before getting into their first property.

Keep in mind hotels have a lot more moving parts and greater liability exposure yet we as a company still did not implement what you shared.Where we as operators differed was in our the understanding of the actual risks associated with owning real estate and how to mitigate or protect against them.

Is there a structured template you could give that is intended for real estate funding strategies?

This  is not legal advice, just my opinion as a real estate investor.