Used to spend some time at Lake San Antonio not too far away (remember going into Lockwood in search of 2 stroke oil one time)I think you are on the right path with the snowball effect (my wife and I used that same method to pay down and off our debt) As far as investing out of state I would highly encourage you to do your research on the area and try and find someone more familiar with the market and the nuances of the market to help you in the beginning. 

Ever try to fish wires in a "plank house"?

I also supply cooking oil, tea and coffee.

Louis, MO12.2%Baltimore, MD12.0%Kansas City, MO11.9%Worcester, MA11.9%Charlotte, NC11.6%Washington, D.C.11.4%Philadelphia, PA10.9%Richmond, VA10.8%Seattle, WA10.5%Providence, RI10.5%Fayetteville, NC10.1%Greensboro, NC10.0%San Jose, CA9.7%Boston, MA9.6%Colorado Springs, CO9.0%Oakland, CA8.9%Milwaukee, WI8.9%Minneapolis, MN8.8%New Brunswick, NJ8.8%Frederick, MD8.3%Portland, ME8.0%Raleigh, NC7.0%New York, NY6.8%Buffalo, NY6.7%Allentown, PA6.4%Montgomery County, PA6.0%Nassau County, NY5.5%San Francisco, CA5.5%Omaha, NE5.3%Rochester, NY4.6%Newark, NJ2.6% Dude , January 2023 target CPI Inflation is projected to be 2-3%.By that time everyone is cursing why I don't buy in July 2022 lol :)Oil price is already crashing beyond $95, metal price crashing ........there're possibility of layoffs in homebuilder industry. ....it's time to buy now if you understand the market.

People who are aware of the ravages of inflation are moving their money into assets (properties, land, oil, gold, live stock) and out of Bonds, Stocks and cash.

I use one in Montana when I got fishing B/C hotel are very limited to non existent in that area.. with what looks like the soup de jour to capture return we have some over saturation in certain markets so as you say cutting out the add on fee's is a good start you know it does not cost 600 dollars to clean a unit.

Some people do fine buying commodities like oil or natural gas ownership, not "funds" but actual shares.For instance, more Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) exist than physical gold exists.

Most young folks clean up but a few do almost nothing, the guys who fish are usually ok, but they are clearly not used to cleaning a kitchen and it takes an extra half hour to clean up the grease from frying fish and to get the fish smell out.Overall I am pleased and grateful at my guests who clean up after them selves, but I don't require it.It is a different story if I find peanut butter and jelly in the carpet or worse pet urine or crap in the house. 

I originally bought 30k in oil stock when it crashed in late March 2020.

Sometimes we need to get creative with oil & gas investments, land conservation easements, or bonus depreciation.