Think random Zillow lead vs. personal refferal. 

They said they all have to be friends and know each other beforehand, and that you can’t throw random people in a home to rent out.

Start analyzing deals now even if you can't buy yet - grab random properties, run the numbers, figure out rents and repairs.

Looking for some guidance here - Pensacola FL is a growing city and being local, I struggle with finding multi family homes that will generate enough income.

I'm 23 and have no problems living around random people.

I still work with investors occasionally now (through referral or  previous clients, not just random “investors” which are often just time wasters) but have moved mostly into luxury home sales which I prefer (and it is way more profitable).

It's a smaller pool in the dead of winter... and that's not always a bad thing.For those of us who must exist in this frozen hellscape for a 1031 or whatevs,sometimes a random offering in the middle of winter can be a friggin gold nugget / escape hatch for an investor who is just trying to make a deal work.

If you're serious about partnerships, I'd suggest connecting with local REIAs first - way better vetting than random introductions and you'll build real relationships. 

I have showed up to random office and no call.

The property I'm working on now fits that description so I will probably pursue direct bookings. 2: Sure3: Low ROI for time input compared to OTA model. 4: Yes 5: Marketing/Lead generation.