Reading some of the posts on this thread, I think we'd be a great fit for some, but maybe not for others.

House hacking is definitely an avenue I can research more and that seems to be more fitting for a first time investor. 

As you know it is not one size fits all so it worked for their personal strategy.

The GC is my neighbor/friend, so I know him well enough to feel like it would be a good fit thus far.

Expand Your Search: Denver is competitive, so looking in areas like The Springs and Fort Collins can give you more options.Stay Flexible: Be prepared to move quickly when you find a property that fits your criteria.

As a model, Techvestor syndicates (uses investor funds) to acquire, fit-out and operate short-term rental properties for profit in select markets across the US. 

I've found a lot that fits our needs, but now I need to "walk the land". 

A nice touch is to provide some nice metal shower curtain hanging rings already installed on the rod and a nice translucent milky colored shower curtain that fits, brand new sitting on top of the toilet tank waiting for them when they move in- so they can take a shower and not have water go all over the floor for the first few days.

Investing in a syndication or fund could be a good fit given your situation.I started investing in some fix and flips and some smaller residential properties from traditional BRRRs.

Reach out to the top three and see which one is the best fit for your situation.