Flips, long term rentals, what is your experience level?

@Mercedez H. and @Henri Meli - Billboards are very interesting from a high level.

The level of service you will most likely get using "flat fee" services will be best described as "half-assed", you probably already know that, and the lackadaisical approach may lead your property to have negative exposure instead of the positive exposure it needs.

Just target your strategy to your current resources/skills and work on building your empire as you go. 

I don't know your experience level in real estate so I'll leave it at that.  

@David Ounanian I don't think they do any formal screening, but they lay out their tenant requirements clearly on the site where people can schedule appointments and they ask three questions about income level, felonies, and past problems with landlords.

This isn’t an ordinary seminar .This is the key for you young people on the west coast fresh out of college Who don’t have any savings, any income ,and  no marketable skills aside  from regional beer pong champion.

Construction is hard work, but pays decent and will teach you skills you can carry over into real estate investing. 

I am interested in achieving some level of financial independence with "house hacking," which seems entirely doable in Philadelphia but not so much in Phoenix.

Yep, I think the skill sets required for the two professions can seem pretty far apart quick is maybe why most don't consider it.