It will take some time to vet the ones you really want to work with and that are good resources for you to use month in and month out. 

Slow beginnings are common in real estate investing, and building momentum comes with intentional planning and leveraging your resources effectively.To gain traction:Evaluate Equity: Review the equity in your owner-occupied home and rentals.

I am the biggest fan of Bigger Pockets, and was so happy to attend BPcon in Cancun last year, and just signed up to attend BPcon in Las Vegas. 

I'm from Franklin, which is about 20 miles south of Nashville, and I'm very familiar with the Greater Nashville area growing up here.Feel free to reach out if you're interested in connecting and I'm happy to be a local resource.

I want to become really good at analyzing deals, and determine the markets I should focus on.Are there any resources aside from this forum (books, journals, news publications, podcasts) that you recommend I use to learn more?

You’d probably end up with a bigger after tax gain if you sold the 2nd property for any amount of money and did that.

BiggerPockets is full of resources designed to help you along your journey, whether you are just getting started or a seasoned investor.

Chalet is a great resource for getting set up with a STR team.

A handy search bar in the upper right makes it easy to find previous discussions, blogs, podcasts, and other resources.

Is there any good resource with links to the relevant sites in particular states/counties?