You have a lot on your plate... real estate could be more work or mental bandwidth than you realize/are wanting to expend.Personally, I like starting with SFH's or small multi stuff like duplexes.

There are thousands of different ways to invest that money, each will have their pros and cons, and also the time suck or mental brain damage that comes along with them.

It's a mentality of paying experts to do the work. 

I got my first deal 10 mins away then my second deal 25 mins away and then 2 more deals 1 hour and 30 mins away. the last one has given me the tools to mentally invest out of state having my A team on the ground to help me manage the properties when I am not too close.

I have also quit my corporate job and am well on my way to escaping the "rat Race" that the traditional go to college, get a job, and save money for retirement mentality.

I think wrapping my head around the financing methods that are readily available and reproducible will help me scale mentally and practically though.

The problem is, a property manager will never have an “owner’s mentality.”

I don't hate my job at all, I'm very lucky that my job is creative and not boring or anything, but I still have to answer to someone everyday, and I would like to be free of someone over my shoulder and being around the rat race mentality, and I figure since I'm young it'd be good to get a head start in making changes to take control of where my life is headed. 

His Fiance either knows and doesn't care, doesn't know and won't believe you, or he isn't mentally ill and has some other agenda.

You can create more space mentally where this spece appears to slow down giving you more time to choose a response.