A financial advisor with real estate experience can help you plan effectively.

Any insights, advice, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

By the end of my time, I became a realtor and worked the deal by myself for more experience.

In most cases, I don't recommend renting out your primary residence especially if you have no rental experience and that is because usually your primary residence was bought without the idea of renting it out.  

You could also check what Realtors in your market are preferred agents here on BP- they should have at least a little experience with investing and a network built up. 

In my experience it cannot be used as construction funding. 

By the time I sold, I became a realtor and worked the deal by myself for more experience.

The great thing about BP there are different people with different perspectives and experiences.  

It’s great that you’re looking to connect with local investors—it’s always helpful to learn from others’ experiences as you get started.As someone new to investing, one thing to consider is not limiting yourself to your immediate area.

In my experience, finding cash-flowing deals on-market can be challenging here (1% rule can be hard to find) but not impossible.