Examples - owner occupied loans for house hackers, specific market knowledge (ie - friend of mine that ice fishes and bought a short term rental cabin in an ice fishing spot that you and I would never know of), ability to do renovation on your own or cheap, contacts with local companies or organizations that would be a tenant source for mid term rentals, ways to source off market deals, etc.Whatever it is, figure that out and get started.

Let's address your questions:Question #1: Setting up an LLC for your real estate rental business is a prudent step for liability protection and organization.

Deborah Saddler, the information that I'm organizing at this time is more based around RE definitions and concepts, as opposed to formulas in Excel.

Appreciation (forced and organic) 

Focus on building a relationship with the owner and the deal will happen organically

And also, the majority of people are not that organized.

New investor here.Thinking about end to end pipeline management for finding, closing, rehab, rent, hold/sell deals.What tools are you using to keep your information organized, clean, reportable, etc?

Articles of Organization (depending on the entity you choose), Statement of Authority, Operating Agreement (can be optional), Employer Identification Number (EIN).

When you are organizing your real estate investing endeavors, these up-front expenses must be taken into account.Good luck!

By participating in forums, going to events, and organizing local meetups, you may build your network with other investors, mentors, and industry professionals.