Early Financial freedom will forever elude the person earning a middle class income, but who is unwilling to do some combination of quitting their job for something much higher risk/reward, like starting a business, drastically cutting back on expenses, etc.

I'm an easygoing roommate and looking to cut costs and also have a more fun experience sharing space with a woman who invests. 

You can not “short cut” it.  5.

Find ways to cut expenses.

I've wanted to get into real estate for a long time but typically moving into that realm in a w2 position means a decent pay cut and probable loss of all the other good stuff.

You have to let them get tired of paying the gas and electric, cutting the grass etc.I just closed one 10 days ago where the lady had every one of my letters I sent over a whole year.

I woke up today with plenty of "Price Cuts" from the listings.

You want to likely do these in bunches and work with a lender that'll cut off some of the BS fees. 

With the expectation of entering a rate-cutting cycle, there’s potential for more favorable refinancing options as rates decrease.- Valuation Improvement: Allowing time for property valuations to improve as interest rates drop.Budget ConsiderationsIt's crucial to budget adequately to navigate projects to a safe point, typically requiring an 18-24 month budget.

Contact the tenant, have a conversation about retaining a portion of the deposit (probably going to have to cut them a break), get them to agree, put it in writing for both parties to sign, and send them the remainder.