You’ll also want to look at operating costs like cleaning, utilities, and management fees because they’re higher than traditional rentals.

Is it best to partner with an agent, or to utilize public records to find motivated sellers?

This would be a good play if your goal is appreciation over cashflow.Are there any strategies new investors commonly use to balance personal home upgrades with starting a rental portfolio?

RV conversion is not “plug and play.”Make sure you’ve double-checked zoning, utility hookups (water, sewer, electric for each pad), and demand. $700/site sounds reasonable if it’s a high-demand area, but if there are already parks nearby or seasonality hits harder than expected, that income stream could lag.

Quote from @Dana Powell: I applied for appliance rebates for a rental where I pay the utilities. 

A lean vacancy rate of 5% and management fee of 6% leaves you with 11% to cover repairs/reserves, property taxes, insurance, common utilities, snow/landscaping?

It's scalable, utilizes economies of scale and not for nothing it makes for a great story.

What's common for the neighborhood you'll be buying in?

Utilize zillow w/ competitive quality & accurate pricing in your area.

I don’t invest in Buffalo or Rochester, but I do focus on the Midwest, where multifamily properties under $100K–$200K are still common and cash flow can be stronger compared to many coastal markets.