The other path, which was the one I ultimately chose, was to start a career which would give me increased exposure to the real estate industry as well as providing the opportunity for scalable income.

If you just want to make a little extra side cash and love your job and your career and want to spend the rest of your life doing that, then just hang in there and something will eventually happen.

Any other advice to make my biggest move so far in my investing career? 

I am hoping to create and grow a buy and hold rental portfolio that will eventually allow me to make REI my full time career. 

My W2 career is very demanding and combining this with doing everything myself for my rentals became very stressful.

Hi Mike, Im not sure where you are at in your investing career so I hope this helps. 

You sound like my best friend, her most desired career path is just to be a student forever haha! 

so i have done my research regarding the websites of companies who are involved in mortgages and i have visited these companies careers section of there website, now as i was looking at the jobs there were available for each company that was and still is involved in the mortgage buisness and majority of jobs have the targeted audience of those with prior experience in the mortgage industry meaning the indivisuals who are applying "already have already been employed at another mortgage company and are now going to another mortgage company for what ever reason(s) but for those who are like myself i am just trying to get my foot in the door so that i may apply and mind you that a lot of mortgage companies don't require degree's although some mortgage companies prefer degree's to those already having been employed and very few companies require a degree, also Do mortgage companies provide finance verb for new indivisuals seeking employment when those indivisuals have no prior work experience in the mortgage industry meaning the company will pay for your nmls liscensing and your finra certificates and any other liscensure or registeration fee's in exchange for being employed at there mortgage company in any job for x amount of time rather that is part time,full time, on call, remote desk job, sales job, contractor, etc..

I don't know too much about Houston but I definitely recommend checking out BRIC, the B/CS REIA: https://www.brazosreia.comBest of luck on starting your investing career!

I wish I had access to it early in my career.