If I were in your shoes, I would look for a house near transit access that has the potential for a legal rental suite. 

Put yourself in the shoes of a tenant who has not had a rental increase in 5, 10, more? 

Would love some advise from anyone who has been in my shoes, starting out on a new career in real estate and realistic short term goes as a new investor.

If I were in your shoes I would start by asking myself: do I want to be a full-time real estate investor and do I have the time to do that well?

I started out in your shoes.

Unless you find an unmissable deal (which is hard to come by these days), I would maybe even play it safe in your shoes and wait for maybe 6 months to see where you stand and where the market stands.

I’ve gone from your shoes (figuring out what to buy for my first property in or around Philly), to now 16 properties since I began!

If I was in your shoes I’d probably 1031 into something with more cash flow and use the equity as a down payment.

If I were in your shoes, I'd continue full time work at your W2 while building up your agent business on the side.  

while ready to buy when a good deal comes along I find myself waiting to see if the other shoe will drop.build - there is no one I am aware of doing any substantial construction of single family rental communities here in OKC.