.: @Derik S.in my opinion - no, brand new investors should not partner.if you need more money, save up more money.hope this helpsIt's an excellent idea, but like Nicholas said, not in the beginning. 

Poke around a lot on Zillow to see what others are doing with their properties to give you an idea on values of both renting out the entire house v. what you could get for a room.  

I don't like the idea of putting the choice of tenant in his hands (without a background check and my vetting).

They told me they ran their own comps and believe the value is around $725,000.The first thing I did was check Zillow just to get a rough idea, and Zillow’s estimate is closer to $650,000.Since I don’t have access to the MLS, what’s the best way to pull reliable comps so I can make sure we’re working off the right number?

Brilliant idea and a great investment for the future. 

I wasn't sure what else I can do- anyone have any ideas? 

Do you guys have any advice or insight on these two markets do you think buying my first ever investment property in these markets would be a good idea?

I’ve kicked the idea around but have continued with TSM index funds out of fear, lack of knowledge and some laziness.

Any ideas are welcome. 

My wife will be managing our investments with the idea of gaining REP status.