@Donte Brame there's the RI Real Estate Investor Group that meets twice monthly, usually the first Thursday of the month online for anyone, and the third Thursday in-person for members in Warwick.

Elmo area but can't find much info online about where I can buy and operate. 

We do have a meeting with a local broker/real estate agent next week but thought it would be best to jump on line and take a look at some local properties and if nothing else practice our valuation process.

Thank you for tip on estimating costs, I tried to estimate about 20% higher than what i could find for pricing online, just in case. but going of your 50% higher estimate on costs, it sounds like a good idea to have a little extra padding on the repairs. 

Goal: To establish trust, recognition, and familiarity in the marketplace.

Also, local real estate agents can also be a goldmine for off-market deals since they often hear about them before anyone else.As for property management, researching and looking at online reviews are a good start, but a real insider tip?

Keep saving, learning about the BRRRR strategy, and start networking with local investors or online groups.

This way, you’re not at risk of losing all your hard-earned feedback and visibility, which could set you back in the competitive short-term rental market.It's essential to find a PM who can work with you in this setup, as it's a balance between functionality and maintaining your property’s reputation online.

Check out other online guides available here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides3.

They have monthly online and in person meetings for new investors and landlords.