I was also an Insurance Agent for a bit but that's neither here nor there.I am trying to get into Real Estate because I need something flexible enough to work around my current schedule and more year-round than Tax work.

There is also a very hungry long-term rental market here--there is never enough housing to go around for year-round island residents; it has become a major problem for the community.

We were in the 5th and 6th round of layoffs.

(Or maybe you don't want to get sued when kids fall out of the tree...)It might be worth taking the photos you posted to a local garden center... not the one that pops up on the side of Wal-Mart or Home Depot in the summer, but a locally-owned place that has plants, seed, etc year round.  

In addition, most vacant housing here is vacant year round."

That's a 17%/year equity return which is a calculation based on $0 appreciation and $0 rent increases and ~25,000(just a round-up) in repair/capex/other expenses over the term.  

Rounding error in your but it might help @J Scott make more sense of the numbers if your always estimating sod sf, # bushes, # of trees.  

So, this topic seems to go round and round on the forum.  

I will be starting work as a realtor in a few weeks as well to gain a more rounded understanding as well as build capital faster.

Unless they buy 100 to 200 or more of them and set up a company to run them.Locals who live it breath it manage it as their JOB  can make these work but its a job and a constant merry go round ...