I also recommend you start looking for a professional property manager, at least until you educate yourself enough to run this solo.

With a few tweaks to the management structure, and with new leadership, I figure we can greatly increase the revenue.

I've managed up to 400 rentals and never offered a concession.

We own one and manage multiple others on that same street.

Unemployment was high but I had savings and managed to find work.

There is no requirement to use them as mentors for doing the rehab projects as described in the horror story above, but they do their own underwriting so they will be investing themselves to assure the deal makes sense and is successful to assure they get their payments and interest. 

From there determining what you have budgeted for your first project.

Being an agent is different than a w2 where you get guidance from a manager, or higher up.

Even competent 3rd party management can only mitigate, not necessarily address many of the issues that arise when owning lower tier properties & population growth alone is not a magic pill. 

I wish you well in your project.