Lots of great info on here as well, and like they're saying the best thing to do is to find an experience broker / realtor who can help you navigate which neighborhoods to target and which ones to stay away from, as well helping you to build out your team for property managers, lenders, inspectors, contractors, ect.

Once you build it correctly, you can offer it to other investors as a service.

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of the screen and look for local investors or meetups in your area.

I currently have a pre-tax retirement account with employer match and a Roth IRA invested in the stock market.

@Chanel Snerling not sure why you are so focused on building?

Pre-construction homes, which could build $50-60K in equity within a year or two.I can afford a 20% down payment, but I’m torn between focusing on equity (pre-con) or cash flow (resale).

Taxes and requirements should be much lower for a LTR

Best to check with a tax pro to ensure compliance!

So, if you don't know how to build financial models, there are some available that are pretty good online (adventures in CRE is a great resource).  

Some homes even come with tax breaks or city funding to help cover the costs.