There's debt and there's equity. 

If all the money you have in the world is $30k for example, dropping $30k for a duplex (with some debt) and 5% return is probably not smart.

Maybe investing your $20K in stocks and bonds could be less stressful and won't generate more debt on your side. 

I'm tracking debt collectors license is required and a million dollar bond.Again I'm new, but the advice I received from podcasts ect was to avoid KY due to the high requirements.I know your looking to network with local investors, but with the high requirements in KY you may open your radius up to surrounding states as well.My exact Notes:Kentucky Million Dollar bond requiredAvoid this state for note investingHope this helps.Jeff V

I am trying to get rid of some debt so I joined a program that says will help me do that but I had to stop making payments to my creditors.

I have an applicant with the following application credentials:550 credit score, two bankruptcies, a foreclosure, moved 3 different times in 2017  Now on the upside:No debt (that seems obvious), earns a good salary, been on the job for 25 years, lives alone, no pets.This person once took care of other family members and no longer has anyone to take care of anymore.

Look for a new market, run the current numbers for currently used markets, and rerun the numbers for previously eliminated markets...to see if they are still out of the picture.Situations change, markets change, so you must follow the changes and adjust.

Financial advisers state to not carry long term variable interest debt. 

It's those maniacs that buy homes cash via quit claim deed off of craigslist that really get screwed.Make sure your property manager is a licensed real estate brokerage.Understand you can not eliminate all risk, only mitigate it.

I don't have a single client with >3 Bay Area mortgages that has the day-job income to support those 3 Bay Area loan amounts (we're talking $1m to $5m in debt here, easily), so yes it's certainly possible.