It’s awesome to see your excitement for real estate investing, and congrats on your first land sale, that’s a great milestone!

I just don't want to start working with a realtor and waste time and end up with no real solid prospects for buying.

@Drake BackmanBigger Pockets is a great place to find a tax strategist specializing in real estate taxation.A good real estate tax strategist can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding a tax  strategist specializing in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.Consider working with your tax strategist remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a tax strategist willing to work with you throughout the year.

I'm a casual and novice real estate investor.

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

You’re in the right place, and it’s great to see your enthusiasm about getting started in real estate investing.

I have been investing in the stock market for 5 years and I am now transitioning over to real estate after doing my research on real estate for the past two years. 

Most "off market" properties are sent out to huge buyer lists of the most unsophisticated and inexperienced investors and those are the individuals you are beating out on term.Here are real examples of MLS properties I recently purchased:6370 Germantown Avenue: Four unit mix-use with one unit occupied.

I'm not new to real estate investing or bigger pockets, but new to the forum.

@Jose Saladin Purchasing your sister’s home as a live-in rental offers instant equity (~$170K), tax benefits, and landlord experience, making it a solid first step into real estate investing.