You should take advice from experienced people here who have not motivation to lie to you.

BiggerPockets is an awesome online community for anyone interested in real estate investing.

I would have counseled persons to do what I believe and have experienced to be a far superior investment strategy of REAL ESTATE INVESTING.

The FF rates in my zipcode are higher than I expected and their quality is less than what I'm bringing online! 

There are a ton of online resources.You could also look at the Arcade1 cabinets as well as the Gamer Legends stuff.

It was tricky because the basement ceiling height is not quite 7'.From what I have read online, Fairfax limits STRs to 120 days per year, so it would not be feasible.

If you want to understand 5-year outlook, I'd look for multifamily construction data in your area to understand what level of new units is and will be coming online in the near future. 

Partnering with experienced investors or investing in REITs or syndications is another way to get started.

I know building a reliable local network will be key, so I'm hoping to connect with experienced real estate team in the area.The military presence in Jacksonville catches my eye, and I'm particularly interested in properties that might appeal to military personnel and the associated contractors.

An instructor can make it better, but most are online now anyway.