Do this now: pick a simple buy box (for example, house hack-ready 2–4 units within a short commute), analyze 5 listings a day for two weeks, and attend two meetups this month to meet operators and a potential mentor.

Personally, as a an STR consumer I care more about finding a decent sharp knife and a cutting board that is bigger than 6" - than a garbage disposal.

Lock a tight buy box by submarket and vintage, underwrite to in-place income first, then model stabilized rents with conservative expenses and a true cap-ex reserve.

.: Rancho Cordova, CA - there's a VA hospital down the street, and a Kaiser Permanente around the block.

My first thought is house hack to get your feet wet and a property under your belt.

We funded the first build with a combination of cash and a HELOC on our primary residence.

Looking at properties on the east side right now as far east as Chesterland and as far south as Aurora.  

A potential section 8 tenant applied today who is unemployed, with $5K in collections from various companies and a 580 credit score. 

I've seen a $50k investment come in at $21k, and a $300k investment come in at a valuation of $200k!

I have been an agent for the past few years and a investor.