It is a known fact that real estate plays a big role in the investments of the wealthy.

I work a full time job and so does my wife so we're working on real estate on the side and aren't particularly wealthy so we're funding through frugality.Here's the situation.We live in ATX where buying property is generally expensiveRents are relatively low compared to Home Values and the 1% rule never ever comes close hereWe currently own 2 duplexes. 

I also don't believe that it is reasonable to ask for a full year's rent up front as the graduate students often are older and have been working professionally for awhile and don't have a wealthy family back home financing their education abroad like an undergraduate may have - but tell me if you think otherwise. 

Cashflow doesnt make you wealthy.

Remember, the quickest and safest way to build wealth is having multiple different incomes from different sectors. 

There would even be better margin to account for property management to watch the properties if your children don't want to.To summarize, I don't think appreciation on your "war zone" properties will make you wealthy. 

Keep saving up your pennies for a down payment and read one non fiction book per week and you'll be very wealthy. 

The more disciplined you are now in figuring this out and taking action the more wealthy you will become.

In Charleston SC even where we were building new construction 500 to 2 million dollar homes and the 500s are in transition areas going from historic rough and tumble to wealthy millennials that are smart and want to own instead of rent..

Don't believe the myth that asset protection is just for the fabulously wealthy.