It could take you 3-5 years to position yourself to buy a property at your age… but with the help of a family member (read: their money) you could jump start things and with their help be investing much sooner.  

In discussing our new passion for real estate, a friend from the gym advised they were buying a new house and needed to sell their current one before they could close on the new one.

I also let them know that if they were to find a place sooner, they could move out without penalty.

Plus if it's nasty maybe they'll decide to move sooner.

The sooner you have this conversation the better as every day that goes by without addressing this tells your inherited tenant that you are OK with their dog's behavior--just like the last owner.

What I would tell myself is to find more people interested in real estate and begin networking and educating myself much sooner than when I started.

Wish I would have done it sooner!

But I keep the security deposit This allows me to immediately turn it after a few touch ups and have it rent ready sooner.

Part of that is reading and another part is that I hit the gym on the way to the office.

House hacking should allow you to pay down debt much sooner- Does your property have any value-add opportunity?