You want a mutually beneficial relationship.

@Joshua LyonJoshuaIt looks like you've been doing this for a little while now, so conventional commercial financing should be your first choice.  

Hello BPI was wondering if anyone here has any experience with using the Military Choice Mortgage for investing? 

Buy and holds seem to be really popular right now and are a very good choice as the beginning of an investment portfolio.

Each realtor could claim either one zip code or multiple zip codes of their choice and would pay a monthly amount to "own" each individual zip code, meaning all leads/submissions that come in would go straight to them and to no other realtor.

(But I am pretty sure tenant made a few bad choices too).

Just my first blush thoughts...St Louis seems like a good choice because it's closer to you and is a good cash flow market.

@Jonathan Safa I'm glad you mentioned the Roth IRA, because that helps take taxes off the table when making a comparison between Real Estate and other investments.There is nothing about "having someone else pay your mortgage" that by itself represents a superior choice. 

You may get advice to go one way or the other, but this is completely a personal choice.

I see real estate investing as a lifestyle choice rather than a job and that's what's exciting me.