It is always better to just get on the bird if you can and work change from the inside.  Lee G.

Then you want to start identifying the specific area or type of property you are targeting and ensure all the folks you network with are aware of what you are looking for so they can help bird dog for you.

., creating a criteria, studying a market, making connections in market (realtors, lenders, etc) and I've determined I still need about six months of saving/paying off debt before we are really to purchasein the meantime I do not want to just sit on my hands. is there anything i can do to provide value to any experienced investors (bird dog, etc)?

@Ben Feder - Develop a letter to accompany your offer.

With your connections you would be an ideal bird dog or gopher for an experienced investor who needs to get permits dropped off and more.

It hardly breaks the bank and you could accompany it with an explanation of "unprecedented COVID related labor and parts shortages resulted in untypical repair time on the generator".

Ideally, you have a couple close relationships you can speak candidly to about your thoughts, and if those relationships are also people who would be interested in investing, you are able to pick their brain on deal structures they would invest in, and therefore kill two birds with one stone.

You can call a few landlord ads and ask them to check for yourself.While you are at it, look at the photos of the local rentals and chances are you will find the same color being used in the vast majority of them.Two birds, one stone.  

It will be a loud and annoying process with someone in the house but it can be done and with a regular sized crew can be done pretty quick; the rafters are already cut and bird-mouthed and you might be able to reuse the decking. 

One of the units was currently rented for $3300, with an accompanying lease and last month's rent deposit collected at close.