What's your risk tolerance at this point, playing more aggressively or preservation?

This campus hosts a large Magnolia home goods store, high end furniture store, cupcake bakery, coffee shop, gardening shop, live music concert venue, large grass area with toys and balls for kids to play with, an open plaza with eight food trucks, a small baseball field (that Babe Ruth once played on and families can now play on for fun), a restored historic chapel (the oldest chapel in Central Texas), and six boutique shops with men, women, and children's products.

That's one of the 'fun' bits of being a landlord.

I think there is definitely a couple strategies at play here for you and your family. 

That was a lot of fun, but if you’re looking for a place that suits you right away or planning to buy a home, having a bit of guidance can go a long way.

Yes, I'd be looking to invest in a MF home (most likely 2-4 units) for a reposition play.

You can track income and expenses consistently using software or spreadsheets.As you scale, if bookkeeping isn't fun, consider hiring a bookkeeper for a couple hundred bucks per month.

I think knowing more numbers, heloc limit, plans and objectives for future goals all should play into "what is best".

I will definitely pay it forward as my experience grows in this fun journey! 

It is going to be roller-coaster of fun for sure.