I'd rather move to bigger, faster-growing cities like San Antonio (has my heart, only 2 hrs away). 

This will be faster than a 30-yr, with lower up-front costs, which I think will more than offset the slightly higher interest rate.

Getting skin in the game will help you learn a lot faster and with real experience, which is always better than imaginary scenarios.You can do it!

Now I'm looking for my second property, but it doesn't seem like anything would even break even since property values have risen much faster than rents.

I also think it would happen much faster than 16 years, mostly because your average of $20k is low, maybe at first, but once you start taking down bigger deals, profit will go up (assuming you don't have a huge uh-oh).

Perhaps consider staying longer, paying down your mortgage faster, refinancing, so that when you move out in a few years, the mortgage payment is lower and cash flows better.

I'd recommend getting licensed and also don't go to the community college. do one of the online ones, a lot cheaper and you'll get it done faster.

We did have to evict one tenant and I did it myself but I used to just use an eviction service (attorney) because it will go faster and they know exactly what to do.

Invest the money in the rehab and it rents faster!

I actually don’t mind having roommates and that’s the strategy I want to stick with each time I buy a house so I can save money faster, until I have a kid In the future.