The timeline is usually in at least a decade....many times that recovery period is after the would be term if you had a mortgage instead.Flip side. 

Turned out to be what was left from rats living in the attic from what must have been decades ago.Rat hair, dirt, feces. 

I'm starting to learn about creative financing strategies and it seems like this might be normalized among sellers in the next few decades.

And unless you're fine with just parking your money with little to no return for the next decade, look into something else.

And by end of these 4/5yrs, your a full electrician, earning 6 figures, with a BA in business, with performing rental real estate, the knowledge of how to actually run a business, and set on a DEBT FREE foundation a decade or two ahead of all your classmates just graduating from xyz university with a major in beer-pong and a degree they probably won't use but may make as much as half, maybe a 1/3 of what your already earning.

Short Term Rentals have been around for MANY decades, many many.

Appreciation has been killer over the past decade to top it all off.

I used to fix & flip, which I enjoyed, but turned to selling on lease option a decade back which cut down on the work and if I get bored we go on another road trip.

Then they can refi or sell in a decade into a loan in their name.

Real estate is not a magic bullet wealth is created over decades those same decades working your profession will get you ahead no doubt.I just dont see any mistakes you made other than maybe you could have saved your marriage. ??