Now I am here with a steady job and I am in a place in my life I am able to take risks and really make the moves to reach “my why.”

You'll have to do your own screening.Hiring a property manager should reduce stresses in your life. 

Check out my personal favorite, Set For Life by @Scott Trench , or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. 3.

So far I've read the following books;- Think and grow rich- The four hour work week- How to win friends and influence people- Your money or your life- The millionaire next doorYour input will be very helpful towards helping me achieve my real estate goals in the future!

And his life. 

I know that depreciation deductions are spread out over the “useful life” of a property.

Once a landlord gets into leaving "a somewhat decent bottle of wine" and any sort of Martha Stewart branded product for a tenant (@Jill F. you made me laugh out loud), I just have to throw up my hands and walk away from all this aspirational parvenu nonsense.The very best wine I've had in my life was sold for ten euros for a 1.5 liter PET water bottle of it out of a big old glass νταμιτζάνα in my second cousin's buddy's shed on a tiny Greek island you've never heard of.

Is it better financially in life to own a house or rent?

I am not familiar with any other states as I've lived in NYC my entire life. 

Such is life in real estate.