Always underwrite conservatively Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Since you're looking to expand into Florida and other states, I'd recommend starting by narrowing down your focus:Market Research – Florida has great opportunities, but each state and city has different laws, taxes, and demand drivers.

Shame on those here recommending it.Similarly, don’t even consider borrowing against your personal residence—even if you could qualify.

The marginal returns drove me to seek other strategies.So, this is not a "bad" deal if you consider it more of a learning experience than one that will make you a lot of money. 

However, i recommend newbies start in or close to their home market.  

I’m excited to connect, learn, and eventually contribute as I gain experience.Feel free to drop your wisdom or recommendations—I’m all ears!

Because this is your first rental property, I would recommend finding an amazing PM company and paying them what they are worth.

I highly recommend you start going to meetups.  

I recommend you do this annually to adjust for utility increases and other variables.

I would recommend making use of all the free resources available through BiggerPockets and the internet.