Many challenges can be avoided if you work with someone that can give you professional guidance in the market you choose.

Review your loan agreement for restrictions, and consult legal and tax professionals to ensure compliance and protect your interests.In C State, you can elect to file MMLLC as disregarded entity for tax reasons.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Knowing what i know today, I always encourage new investors to do their first investments with professional guidance if you can find it -not so much the guru courses, but a personal approach from a genuinely experienced investor in the market you are entering.

You are soliciting professional advice from people who know what they are talking about and you can take it or leave it.

They sound like regular conversations where the RE professional/investor is genuinely interested in discovering the seller's pain points to help find a solution.All the best!

Members span the gamut from "mom and pops" to large professional management corporations. 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

There is a good real estate professional group in the area that I think mainly communicate via Facebook.

I've watched some videos from BP but i'd like some recommended reading to educate myself in preparation and so i can start going to open houses and actually having an idea of what i'm looking at.3. i'm thinking about changing careers to either electrician or plumbing to get skills that may help me manage my properties or do house flips and value adds to my properties.