Degree for Real Estate investment and plan on to continue purchasing rental properties and sharpening my land lording skills. 

@Emilie Benn  you and your husband have the perfect skill set to flip homes in Portland.

If you are just starting, I'm night sure what volunteering would do until you've developed a skill set.

Oh yeah I know about sending to other wholesalers, but this was more about improving my skills versues just profits.

You just need to learn good negotiation skills and of course the buy/sell process .

If we were big business, I would hire the skills of others who could provide me with the data I needed.

This crosses all industries, setting guidance based on services performed being in like type, quality, area of expertise, of service providers having education, knowledge, experience and skills that are expected at any price point. 

Sounds like you and yours have great skills to apply to real estate investing.  

On the market potential there - even though it's a stagnant mostly rural area, evidently there is a relative shortage of rental properties, and a relative surplus of folks who don't qualify for a mortgage or can't save for down payment.

I learned skills from painting to installing tiles, doors and frames to save as much as I could from having to paying my contractor.