David Greene talks about this quite often on the podcast.If you want a mentor, you should develop relationships with locals and prove yourself to them.

Quote from @Jonathan Greene: Look, someone from Columbus is again telling someone to invest there.

Quote from @Jonathan Greene: I agree with number 3 the most, as most of us who have been in the game for over 30 years will all say we shouldn't have sold so much.

@Michael CliffordRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

Call the previous landlord directly, and cross-check details like the property’s address and lease dates to ensure authenticity.Ask open-ended questionsEncourage detailed responses by asking open-ended questions.

However, most new investors make a much lower return and could be upside-down for a long time.Cashing out equity to invest presented much less risk when mortgage rates were 3% and properties were producing better returns.For a green investor, borrowing money so you can borrow money is high-risk.

Quote from @Cameron Green: Hi Josh,You can definitely dispute the classification of your property to reflect it as a 3-bedroom instead of a "Den."

Hope that helps, and fingers crossed your property weathers the storm without a hitch!

Usually the best way to get around this is to cross collateralize another property you own.

Cross-Collateralization: If you have other properties with equity, you might be able to use those as collateral to secure better loan terms or additional funding.4.