I like and appreciate both of your suggestions!

Andrew gave some good suggestions.

I'm open to suggestions and thoughts.

Hi Steve,Welcome to BP.There are several Meetups for Real Estate investors in Albuquerque.I suggest you go to Meetup.com and search.

I'm just suggesting you be well informed:I loved reading Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Poor Dad"... it was extremely informative and eye opening... albeit told in a bit of a crazy way.  

Keep in mind local zoning laws and market conditions in Portland versus Salem—Portland might offer higher rents but stricter regulations, while Salem could provide better cash flow opportunities.Your design approach has proven successful, so continue focusing on appealing upgrades like kitchens and bathrooms, but prioritize cost-effective and durable materials for rentals.

By exploring options for cost-effective utility usage, such as installing low-flow fixtures and implementing irrigation systems, we can significantly save on water expenses.To keep things running like a well-oiled machine, you’ve got to have a rock-solid asset management plan.

I'd also suggest self-managing your first property to maximize cash flow and learn by doing for any future investments.

But if your looking to cash flow like $500 or more per month you might want to look into more cost effective markets where you can purchase a property very cheap and the rents will give you that type of cash flow your looking for.

I’d suggest exploring a bridge loan that covers a portion of the purchase price along with 100% of the renovation costs.