For most busy professionals who want to get into real estate, their biggest opportunities to stack cash to invest are to minimize expenses and eliminate what you can, and get as many raises as possible at your current career.You're 26.

This also could provide the rental income the parents need and eliminate the need for a future refinance. 

These forces and factors will have an impact on all aspects of the country,  Here are some I have thought off: continued backlash against landlords, moves to redistribute generational wealth through taxes, elimination of Social Security and medicare etc.  

Says eliminate stepped up basis on capital gains to help lower cost of education.

You want to put your best foot forward, eliminate odors (all people have them even those without pets) and clutter, and let the new person feel like this could be *their* home.

It will be less expensive in the long term and eliminate all liability.

That eliminates almost all on-market, and most off-market deals, but there are still a few diamonds in the rough left (almost all requiring work of course).

Eliminated Analysis paralysis early on.Focused on getting credit good and savings up to par

You could go with a adequately spec'd  LVL beam & raise it up level to the bottom of the ceiling joists & then lag them into it & thus eliminate the dropped beam look.

Moving the needle, for most, comes down to optimizing mindset, identifying and eliminating limiting beliefs and destructive behaviors.