Take them out to lunch or coffee (forsure pay!)

This will be an out of state investment for myself. 

Hi All,We are under contract on our first property intended to be an STR!

Get a job working at a bar a few nights a week, buy a pressure washer and go door knocking to pressure wash driveways and decks (for example, does not have to be that), and be an agent that hustles, works open houses, goes to RE meetups, networks like crazy, and learns a lot. 

In terms of loans, due to high income, loans won't be an issue but since I already have a 40 hour a week job, it will put a restriction to how much I contribute in Real Estate.

Your job, once you start real estate, is to replace your 9-5 job as soon as possible if that makes you happy.Money should not be an issue, if you know what you are doing. 

This is likely to be an area I would like to stay in long term and build a portfolio.I did the @Dave Meyer live pro workshop to find a market and have the following insight.

If he has tons of time on his hands and wants to get his hands dirty, flipping could be an option as well, with a combination of his money + private money. 

I think the first question you need to answer for yourself is - do you want to be an active real estate investor or passive?  

Normally this would not be an issue.