My overall goal with real estate is to use it as an avenue to build wealth and have this "financial freedom" that many successful investors/entrepreneurs talk about.

The reason is you want time freedom, or geographical freedom. 

Right now she is living with someone who is threatening her personhood, mental health, and physical well-being, you can't put a price on freedom from that threat.2.

I do this for the freedom. 

This allows them the most freedom to make loan decisions, but they are also the most likely to run out of funds.

They are looking for a way to create financial freedom, or boost their retirement, or get enough cashflow to quit their jobs.

She also comes from a family which values job security and pensions over the possibility of financial freedom, and has told me multiple times that before she met me, she never seriously thought of another way to live.Because of this, and because I started when I had very little cash and a limited credit history (not bad, just not much there), I began by researching methods that didn't require a large cash outlay.

The original BP lost its charm.No, I am not going to believe that a guy with 10 "doors" in Godknowswhere, Kentucky has achieved Financial Freedom.

Dave Ramsey is dead on for most things, and there is no arguing with his plan if you want security, but if you are wanting to financial freedom sooner than later, you have to risk a bit.

You would be much better served by aggressive saving.You should check out the book Financial Freedom by Grant Sabatier.