I usually spend my entire weekends learning about it from bigger pockets, learning to underwrite and evaluate, learning financing etc.

I am also part of a full scale co-living management team that assists with property evaluations, Co-living training, acquisitions, setup construction, tenant interactions, and property management. 

@Lucia Rushton I’m interested in this as well and currently evaluating them.

I was thinking that I would want to build a team in a market before I buy anything, so I wanted to evaluate 2-3 property managers ahead of time, to find the best fit.I have not thought of the tire-kicker perception it might create, so I will have to consider ways to mitigate that.Thanks for the tip!

Free Evaluation etc)...

Evaluate Your Goals, Conduct Market Research, Diversify Your Investments, Financial Preparation, Network and Build Relationships, Risk Management and Seek Professional Guidance I hope it helps. 

Just finished the book how to invest in real estate: ultimate beginners guide.Also, could I ask help from you great realtors here on evaluating my first investment and do you think it would be a good first step?

At the end of two weeks, evaluate where you are at and see if you really are doing 3 hours each day.

When evaluating rental properties, aside from school districts and convenience, consider factors like neighborhood amenities (parks, restaurants, shopping), rental demand, job market trends, property condition, potential for appreciation, and rental income compared to expenses (including taxes, insurance, and maintenance).

Here are some tips to help you find and distinguish cash-flowing properties beyond the 1% rule:To evaluate a property's income potential, consider alternative metrics like the 1% rule, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, and gross rent multiplier (GRM).