Looking for opinions

[Zachary Lindquist]

NOTE* "rookie here" 

Regardless, I am excited and eager to be here. I have read and spent a lot of time looking into podcasts in the appropriate section of Bigger Pockets, reading books on various subjects of real-estate investing, but I feel as though I am just scratching the surface of this beast of potential passive income, and I cannot and will not stop. I want to buy and hold property in Northeast Ohio, (Geneva/Ashtabula area). I have researched the best methods to approach this, and I do not have an outstanding amount of funds lying around, so I am seeking a hard money lender. Family would be best, but I am looking for other resources as well. Where do I even begin to approach networking for lenders? Additionally, could I have recommendations for websites to shop for deals on real-estate, what has worked best for you?