You will want to fully understand the tax reporting burden you will face. 

I didn't have any money to invest at the time, and now I have a little saved away to start my real estate journey.

@Ella Marie the Pro's are you can build long term wealth, the Cons are you can lose money if you cannot properly quantify risk.

Preforeclosure owner finance wrap, paid off the default payments and taxes with cash and assumed the owners loan.

Hello Lenders,I am a private money lender.My question is---When does the seasoning period start?  

Alternatively, I could explore hard money lenders.

This practice also frees up more money for lenders to use to fund additional mortgages.In "non-conforming loan" world, anything goes.

Look for properties with value-add opportunities that don't cost much money.

If you're looking for ways to accelerate, consider these options:Seller Financing – Some sellers may finance a portion of the purchase price, reducing your need for a large down payment.DSCR Loans – These loans focus on property cash flow rather than personal income, often requiring only 15% down.Private Money Lenders – If you can find a PML willing to work with you, you may be able to put less down.Partnerships – If you’re open to splitting profits, you could bring in a partner who funds the down payment.Since you’re okay with the slower path, just keep stacking cash, but these might be worth exploring to move faster!

Tax-Free Exchanges: While 1031 exchanges aren't available to SDIRAs, the tax deferral within the account means you can sell property and reinvest proceeds into new opportunities without immediate tax consequences.