My view is pretty much echoing what you have said.

I manage around 400 rentals with 14 years of experience and have never been sued once.

Even though we live in earthquake country, this was a new experience for us.

Experiences will vary significantly based upon location.

After talking with my mentor (He's a realtor with 20+ years experience) he suggested purchasing a rental property first.

I have experience with both RG&E and NYSEG.

Not familiar with those markets, but here is my experience starting at 22 and what I regret after house hacking twice: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/922/topics/1133476-hous...

I've read mixed reviews on host experiences with VRBO and Booking.com, so I've been hesistant to list there.Currently, using PriceLabs and tweaking/ analyzing pricing a few times a week.Honestly, my photos are not the greatest yet, but it is a high priority for me to get professional photos soon.

You don't need to know everything to get started; you need a foundation to build on, and the rest will come through experience and then refining your education.You can build a basic understanding of investing in 3-6 months.

I have it narrowed down to two agents, one has more general experience in the area and are part of a large organization.