Make sure you understand the fundamentals of real estate, how to run your numbers, evaluate markets, perform due diligence, etc. and then take the next step and make an investment.https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/850/topics/895660-my-first-investment-property-an-out-of-state-dealBest Wishes!

Require pictures as proof of progress as soon as something doesn’t seem or sound right fire them and move on.

I feel it is always a work in progress but it's something that really excites me.

I want to progress. 

I planned to rent two rooms and just rotate the tenants in those two rooms as we progressed instead of getting 12 rooms for 4 weeks.

They have seen such deal velocity the past couple years they can be a wealth of knowledge to help evaluate a deal and the market.

Hope things have progressed well. 

Show investors how you are evaluating deals, and projections for the investment so they feel comfortable in your analysis.

Should I try to maximize my preapproval amount to ensure that I am taken seriously when evaluating larger multifamilies?

Hope this honest / independent evaluation helps!