However, being twenty years old, it is hard to partner with somebody because they think I don't know what I'm doing; they're correct for the most part.

Buy same category house and buy something that you are sure this is something that you can live for the next twenty years.

They found a cavity in the foundation with the cash mentioned in used twenty-dollar bills with random serial numbers wrapped in opaque plastic food wrap, and a sealed Home Depot Homer bucket behind it.

Anyone remember seeing those signs, "Twenty Degrees cooler inside"?

Speaking as a native Californian who has lived in Mississippi for twenty years, yes there are great opportunities here, but buying there can be very tricky if you don't know what you are doing.

High appreciation markets are generally for investors who would have a higher risk tolerance and do not need cash flow now, whereas high cashflow markets are for people who need immediate money and  ready to put higher effort to realize that (compare buying and managing twenty 50k per door houses in low priced market for cashflow vs buying one house for 1MM and managing one tenant  in a high priced market for appreciation). 

If both felonies were in the 90's, then the problem youth thing makes sense, but he is a repeat offender twenty years later.

A few years ago I would have said to buy a second property - with interest rates around 3-4% and appreciation roaring above 10% yearly buying more real estate almost always we more profitable than optimizing the real estate you already owned.

I have just one tenant who pays in cash now (used twenties from a cash job) and I get all the logistical difficulties, but really...it's CASH.In the brief interim of time between receiving my wad of greasy, stinking twenties in my hot little hand and the moment I stuff those bills into the slot of the ATM, I feel alive.

I remember the first home I ever owned in my mid-twenties.