The dude asking for advice is a 33 year old retired NFL player and she recommended he check out a $5 or $10 book written by another 33 year old retired NFL player.

Don't look know but the Oracle of Omaha is on the move..with a near $1B Bet on housing. 

Far too often, people just ask for help without thinking about what they can contribute.You're already on the right track, but here are a few other places to expand your search:Local Meetups & REIAs (Real Estate Investor Associations): This is probably your best bet.

I look forward to sharing some of my points of view picked up along the way, as well as engaging with other likeminded players serious about this game.

There are other players in the game to compare with like Kenny Bedwell at STR Insights or Bill Faeth's coaching.

Check with the companies Rhino Insurance and Obligo - these are big players in this field professional management companies work with, I'm not sure if they're open to self managing landlords-also not sure why they wouldn't be.

not every basketball player is Lebron James, and most basketball players aren't even in the NBA. i don't do STR personally - i have all LTRs, and am looking into MTR - but if you're only interested in it because you think the returns can be higher, then that may not be enough. 

My role has involved making strategic purchasing decisions, negotiating supplier terms, and managing large capital investments in a competitive environment.As the Amazon landscape has shifted toward large players with exclusive manufacturer access, I’ve been planning a transition into real estate finance — particularly hard money lending, In my role, I’ve:Managed multi-million dollar purchasing decisions, sourcing high-demand products and optimizing inventory strategies.Analyzed large sets of data to forecast profitability, manage cash flow, and minimize risk.Built strong relationships with suppliers, financial institutions, and logistics partners to drive operational efficiency.I’m confident that my financial acumen, data-driven approach, and experience in capital management can translate seamlessly into roles in real estate finance.I’m eager to connect with professionals in the field, and I’m particularly interested in opportunities related to:Hard money lending and underwritingReal estate investment analysisPortfolio managementIf you have any advice, mentorship, or know of any opportunities in real estate finance, I’d love to connect.

As you develop the layout, think of player interaction safety.This won't be a YOU project. 

Like some folks have said, plenty of lenders operate nationally, so you can live in one state and invest in another with no problem.But, like @Andrew Syrios said, your best bet may be to work with local lenders—that is, lenders that are local to the area you want to invest in.