After I got the basics down, I took it to the next level and actually started buying homes.

You have to be an accredited investor which means (1) a net worth or joint net worth with the person’s spouse exceeding $1 million, not including the value of the primary residence, and / or (2) an annual income of at least $200,000 in each of the two most recent years (or a joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years), along with a reasonable expectation of the same minimum level of income in the current year.If you are able to invest in Realty Shares, then the answer is yes, if it meets your investment goals.

I have noticed that buying a couple of 4 unit buildings is a good start but to be able to reach my goal i will have to be able to scale things up at a faster rate after the first couple of years.

Is it faster, safer, smarter to flip a few properties first for the faster cash influx, (assuming it works out) take that $ and reinvest or acquire a 3 or 4plex to owner occupy for a year then repeat until you have 10 or 15 doors?

DSL uses phone lines, yes, but DSL can often be faster than cable.  

Then if you are more flush with cash and want to pay off the loan faster go for it - that will limit your cost from the long-term loan perspective.

Michael Corbin if you are planning to rehab, get a quote from a few contractors.If you are just interested in the plot, get an estimate from a demo company to scrape and level the lot.

I was just looking at it from a Federal tax level. 

Wanting to learn the business from the ground up has nothing to do with someone's income level.

I'm open to other locations, I just happen to be familiar with these two areas.I'm receptive to any recommendations and I look forward to connecting with all of you on a professional level.