Cash flow today (though it’s nice as a buffer and margin of safety...) and more focused on acquiring great located assets that are lifelong holdings.

My portfolio is split about 50/50 between real estate and paper assets.

When I come back I should have 70k in untaxed liquid assets (might invest in mutual funds while deployed idk).

Would you consider this an asset, or a liability (hint: there's a right answer to this question).

If you can time the sales right you can sell all three to different buyers which will maximize your selling price but still combine them into one or fewer larger assets if you like.

I'm currently shifting some of my assets into small single family homes in a part of the country where real estate is still pretty cheap.

I have all of my properties under an LLC, which is good for personal asset protection.

Plus I hate the notion of selling one over-priced asset just to turn around and buy another overpriced asset given I have no faith in my ability to select counter cyclical asset classes.If I had a shaker operation or I was just sick and tired of the landlord process (even as passive as mine is) I might feel a bit different.  

After 35 years of investing and living through three market and one real estate crash,  I have learned that the key is to stay sufficiently liquid (so you do not have to sell during inevitable downturns) and diversify your assets so that you have eggs in more than one basket. 

The only advice I have is to buy the best quality asset that you can whatever the unit count.