If the mechanicals are near the end of it's useful life be ready to negotiate a lower price or have cash reserves day 1.

I vote for invest while working, unless you have some non-business life passion you want to pursue during said sabbatical.

If your wife can be pressured by her father, and her father is living the "Happy wife, happy life" conundrum you could be in real trouble.The rental contract should protect everyone including the tenants.

@Mindy Jensen I signed up today and can’t wait to start this new chapter of my life.

This is the space where an investor can continue to grow their portfolio even in this market.Now, if you don't want to do rehab and I don't blame you because I've found out the hard way in past ventures that I really really suck at carpentry and most things that aren't basic mechanicals like HVAC (I was an aircraft mechanic in a past life so I "get" things you can assemble with bolts better than how to cut wood in a perfectly straight line even with a jig), there are options to have general contractors and specialist subcontractors do the rehab for you. 

What's a good, high-paying job that would be good for a young guy like me that is looking to make real estate investing my life and career, a job that brings in good income so I can save it and invest it.

In my previous life as a B2B sales rep and currently in real estate syndication I track every person and conversation even if they're a no.

Real life scenarios create great teaching for newbies. 

I haven't really had the opportunity thankfully where the amount owed after leaving was worth my time but have no issues stating I am a man of principal and sometimes petty and would go for it, especially if I thought they wronged me just to make life more difficult. 

In the end they balance each other so when you want to spend the money, later in life you can decide which investment is best to cash in on, and which you still want to keep.