Ask them questions to make sure they're not just a friend, like the address or other details the landlord would only know.

Not sure the current status, but I would say Plano is not AirBnB friendly. 

I have a good developer friend in the area who has a similar type property I should connect you with if you don't know him.

Generally I would recommend using a contract that comes recommended by a friend or fellow real estate investor.

Real estate's "gross rent multiplier" is Wall Street's "sales to revenue",  "cap rate" is roughly "P/E ratio".When evaluating markets and investments I tend to start with GRM (or lazily the 1% rule), then attempt to return a cap rate based on assumptions about costs, then I work my way to multiple years of projections (assumptions about inflation, amortization, tax benefits, etc), and if I am partnering with one of my smart friends I have to pull up an IRR (internal rate of return).I also look at regional employment levels, median income to rent ratio in the zip code etc. 

I actually recently met a real estate agent who I've become friends with and will be helping him with some of his properties to get some first hand experience. 

Also very friendly and helpful.  

While I agree with all your points (especially the unconstitutional eviction moratorium), selling means you will a) get hit with huge capital gains taxes (my friend just sold his 5-unit and got hit with $150,000 tax bill), b) there is no place to invest the proceeds (stock market is too risky, banks are risky and pay really low interest), and c) you are too young and if you change your mind and want to purchase more investment properties, interest rates and prices are too high. 

I have some good friends here that may be able to help as well. 

I have to decide if im going to use a new injection of capital from the sale of my primary residence to:1) Hold in treasury bills at 4.5 percent until I find another property to purchase2) Pay off one of two existing mortgages, one at 3.75 percent and another at 4.5 percent3) Just find something to buy that beats either of those percentages on paper and be done with it4) Possibly loan out some hard money/broker it to a friend to allocateIts never an easy decision, but its a good problem to have.