WAY too many Agents who are unfprofessional, not trained or mentored properly and just doing this part time to write contracts without seeing homes. 

For instance, the construction of Tulum Airport has begun, with plans to have five million annual passengers, including a station for the Mayan train that will connect the entire Yucatan peninsula. 

As far as a safety issue - pack heat and be trained and proficient in using it.

Fix and flip training wide open..

House hacking is definitely a great way to learn to be a landlord on training wheels.If you decide to rent to your friends, I'd still treat them like any other tenant.

I have been a landlord and investor for over a decade AND also work as a senior/regional property manager so I feel like I see both sides and have some good insight on this- manage yourself if you have the time and fortitude to do so, you will make mistakes but it will pay off, get a real estate license (not hard to do plus you can sell and buy properties and get commission) and know the laws, be willing to do the research, NO ONE IS GOING CARE AS MUCH ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY AS YOU- that being said, not everyone wants to has the time ect or headache or likes asking for rent…FIND A MANAGER THAT ALSO IS A LANDLORD INVESTOR, I can’t tell you how many property managers I’ve tried training and that failed at our company because they just don’t get it from an owner or investor side, like “no tenant we aren’t going to come replace your stove again, no we aren’t going to clean your bathroom cause you didn’t , ability to analyze when to do maintenance and not, ability to explain to tenant owners POV, I tell every owner I am not telling you anything I haven’t done or I’d do my self, a lot of property managers are blue colar type workers and have never invested in their life and just done get it, 4 out of 5 property managers fail at my company because of this especially for single family homes, find a PM with speciality in SFH for your area, for example, a PM in Birmingham MI (upscale area) will fail in Detroit or lower end markets (but that’s were the best ROIs are)

I was curious if anyone would recommend the National Notary Association's training package for this.

Just search for that term, get plugged into local real estate groups in your area, and seek out training or an instructor on that subject.  

They may be able/willing to get you out of this situation and get the train back on the tracks.

Some of my most successful clients have done exactly as you described they had a JOB with a REIT or developer and learned their craft before launching out.Trying to get this type of education paying  companies that just sell short term training is very hit and miss.