As a new investor, your best bet is to start small with an app like DealMachine or Propstream so you have direct control of your options.

This chart I thinks shows it best, inventory does increase over last summer/fall though still well below historic norms, but it actually starts coming down over the winter. 

Whether your at $0 or $10mm of personal cash to start with.   

Your plan to handle the strategic aspects remotely while a property manager handles onsite issues is smart, and as long as you log your work and stay hands-on, you’ll likely qualify for active status.

for me  a handful since early 80s  now in those days I was ONLY buying land that had owner contracts on them. 

It's pretty easy to see that real estate proces peaked around 2007-2008 and then crashed during the Great Recession.Around 2011-2012 prices started to recover and got back to their pre-Crash highs around 2015-2016, but really 2018-2019 when adjusted.So, why are newbies reading books written BEFORE 2019 and thinking that you can still successfully invest using the EXACT advice in these relatively "old" books?

I've seen plumbers and builders stop hiring because all the "young" people start the job and then don't put in any effort or stop showing up.Figure out what you want to make hourly, then start telling everyone and their brother that you need work, how many hours you are available, etc. 

Have you already started connecting with any local professionals, or are you still searching?

This is much lower than the costs associated with refinancing.Benefits of Mortgage RecastingLower Monthly Payments: The most immediate benefit is a reduced monthly payment, which can free up cash for other financial goals.Save on Interest: By reducing your principal balance, you’ll pay less interest over the life of the loan, potentially saving thousands of dollars.No Credit Check or Appraisal: Unlike refinancing, recasting doesn’t require a credit check, income verification, or home appraisal, making it a quicker and simpler process.Keep Your Current Interest Rate: If you have a favorable interest rate on your current loan, recasting allows you to maintain it while still lowering your payments.Drawbacks of Mortgage RecastingRequires a Lump Sum: Not everyone has the cash on hand to make a significant lump sum payment, which can make recasting inaccessible for some homeowners.Doesn’t Shorten Loan Term: While your monthly payments are lower, recasting doesn’t reduce the length of your loan.

These start failing after 50+ years, causing lots of backups and problems.