I had the owner of my local branch doing mine.

Local credit union.

I'm not an SME on immigration law, but I know that you can get burned pretty badly if you run afoul of OFAC and AML stuff. 

In this case, get familiar with NYS landlord/tenant law or find someone who is. 

I would recommend looking for local FB investor groups, most areas have them!

I did get my GC license which in Oregon is all law so it was simple test for me. so now here we sit 500 or so spec / pre solds later and well its been a wild ride..

Your financial background is a huge asset, and it’s great that you’re starting locally in Milwaukee while keeping an eye on future expansion.If you’re looking to connect with like-minded investors, the Rental Property Association of Wisconsin is a fantastic resource for networking with rental portfolio owners, accessing legal resources, and finding contractors. https://www.aasew.org/For mentors, funding sources, and flippers, the Milwaukee REIA is another great group to explore. https://www.milwaukeereia.com/I’m a member of both and find unique value in each—maybe we’ll cross paths at a future meeting!

Also does your locality allow you to work on investment properties?

Truckee has some tight STR laws and if you're in that game I'd stay.  

Condos have many many owners and the HOA and management has to abide by the laws enacted by its owners.