However, I live close-by (30 minute drive), recently retired from my day-job, and if the loan is not too large, I might be willing to do a deal just to learn a bit more about another side of RE.  

Quote from @Danielle Levy: Lesson learned: provide the full story up front and you'll get better advice.If you feel there's a case, put together all the evidence.

You would learn a lot from doing this deal.  

I’m still learning about the DMV area, but I’m excited to hear more about you and your journey! 

Really looking to hone in and learn how to do this better. 

Keep learning and leaning on your network for advice and connections. 

Our main focus is finding properties with the highest return on investment, particularly through rental income.Additionally, we’d love to connect with local real estate agents or property management companies who can help us learn more about the area and potentially collaborate with us.Thank you so much for your time and insights!

I learned how to do many repairs myself, I showed all the homes myself, and I made it work.

But I was looking to connect to other investors into the area to help me learn and get a hang of everything. 

Now, you can get some wholesalers but they usually don't know if the property will fit the requirements and regulations but you can learn that from the Realtor.