My plan for this year is improve my credit, get my real estate license (to increase my income on top of my W-2), possibly career transition into the property management space (to learn more), and save as much as possible and learn as much as I can.I’d love to house hack close to home but my area is so expensive it seems like it’d be close to impossible. 

Looking for any and everything that this community/program can provide and even possibly a mentor to help me make the big scary first step.

I'd love to connect in a few months' time (or before if preferred) to possibly locate a property in your area and start my REI journey around October this year.

To be more specific about what i'm looking to do: My 1-2 year goal is to employ the BRRRR strategy with SFHs and Condos by buying distressed / highly undervalued properties that need work (preferably all-cash) in low crime areas with strong rental demand, renovate them within budget (again preferably all-cash) and get them rent ready before refinancing them at the highest ARV possible.

The possibilities are endless really. 

You could bring less down and possibly have a lower interest rate since you will be living there.

The layout also has the possibility to convert to a duplex in the future.

I want to put the smallest possible down payment down with an FHA loan on a multi unit.

I am going to put this as bluntly as possible:  Condominiums in the Smokies are not good investments.

They aren't going to magically improve and start abiding by the lease terms but I think there is definitely a possibility that the situation gets worse.I think that's a good point.