One idea I have is to "shadow" a real estate investor (although I am not entirely sure how to go about asking for / finding this kind of opportunity), but I am wondering if anyone has insight into other ways to gain a comparable level of experience.If anyone has insight into any or all of these topics, I would greatly appreciate the feedback.

In essence you get some gain tax free. 

It takes awhile to get reviews, gain traction, get repeat guests, word of mouth from satisfied guests, etc.   

Wholesaling is an excellent way to gain experience.Wishing you Good luck!

You'll be one of the wealthiest people you know by the time you are 40.As you gain experience, you may discover you hate dealing with tenants and this is the wrong vehicle for you to build wealth.

I've gained a lot of knowledge and support from the community of investors with various levels of experience.I wish you all the best on your journey !

So, the seller would be gaining ownership of the house at an exchange price of $352,000.

They can handle bookings, cleanings, and guest communication, so you’re not always on call.Also, keep in mind that some areas have specific rules and regulations for short-term rentals, so make sure you understand what’s allowed in any location you're considering.It’s great that you’re eager to learn, and with the right strategy, STRs can definitely help you gain more freedom.

We are currently paying down most of our bad debt to put us on a better position to buy, and gaining more knowledge in the process.

If not, the way you build trust is to take a step back and gain some experience investing first in some way shape or form.Then you want to assemble a team who have the experience in all the aspects needed to make the proposed project successful.