My number 1 tip would be to go off market and find owner that wants to sell at a discount / prefers speed and convenience. 

If you have large debt with a high interest rate, I would consider paying that off before getting started investing in real estate. 

Once you go above $125k/unit you start to get into the high end areas that won't have very good rent/price ratios and are under the 1% rule mark for turnkey stuff.Neighborhood wise in the city the "East End" is where the most expensive real estate is since that's where the universities and a lot of the hospitals are located.

Quote from @Ben Trageser: Highly recommend Maven Cost Seg!

Their online reviews on google seem great and everything is 5 stars but I promise you the team is terrible.

My recommendation would be to engage an investment property focused realtor (not a general residential realtor) and let that person guide you through the process from pre-qualification to market/property valuation and selection. 

Does anyone have a recommendation of a national collection agency that is effective?

Hey @Kevin Connauton, I recommend reaching out to @Matt Solis when you get a chance.

This site has been instrumental in getting me from 0 properties to where I am today. 

You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp.