Hi roadrunner, I guess you have made up your mind on renting a home rather than buying. But have you tried to ask about the rent to own houses? this might also be a good option for you.

mattsta wrote:
I haven't heard about Real Estate Investar before – but I checked it out on Google, and it seems that its a software based in NZ. I wonder though if it has capabilities to work for the Australian context? or just NZThat's something you should take into consideration I suppose

The software is also available in australia, and…[Read more]

I suggest that you buy an apartment complex and manage it, as long as you know how to deal with your tenants properly, you will go a long way. You can work directly as the manager of the apartment complex or you can work through a property management company.