It is true that you are able to find deals in every market, but one of the things I have learned is that finding the best markets to invest in is better that trying to make deals work in a bad market just because it is close to home.To answer your other questions. 

When I was young in the game.  

From my observations of successful investors (those with 100+ units and 20+ years in the game), there seem to be two camps: those who are pro-partnership and those who avoid them.

I'm new to the real estate investment game and I'm a bit nervous about dipping my toes into unknown waters. 

I’ve been in the STR game for 6 years, managing multiple properties, and here are some of the tech tools that have been game-changers for me—both for evaluating and managing properties.   

In this game, sticking to one property type is your fastest path to mastery.

I wanted to stay in the same county that I grew up in. I

And the fact that you have a contractor you know personally is name of the game! 

But as I discovered, has no real significance to the apartment game, except for the ability to market and raise money.

Looks like a lot of your own capital into the deal, but you learn more from being in the game.