But how would a newbie incorporate "know your numbers" into taking action?

Id line up these steps.1. consume education through books and podcasts.

Hey Albert - congrats for educating yourself and getting out there to do the legwork involved with finding a good deal.

'Investing in Real Estate Private Equity' by Sean Cook is a great intro level book, that assumes you know nothing about the syndication space but it doesn't treat you like an idiot either, it takes you along and educates you2. higher level is "CRE analysis and investments" , a textbook by Geltner et al. which I loved, breaks down all aspects of CRE, how to underwrite etc. 3. lots of online stuff helpful too, like The Real Estate Syndication Show, recent episode belowOver 100 Passive Investments and Lessons Learned with Joe Fairless (youtube.com)4.

We took lots of the thoughts and ideas at the time to heart and incorporated them as best we could. 

Essentially, the cap rate is the proportion of Net Operating Income (NOI) to the property's value or selling price:Cap Rate = Net Operating Income (NOI)/Property ValueThis ratio offers a direct method to evaluate the yield a property generates in relation to its cost.For advanced real estate investors, integrating additional factors might prove beneficial:Vacancy rate: The duration the property remains vacant.Operating expenses percentage: Includes insurance, utilities, and maintenance costs (excludes mortgage payments, depreciation, or income taxes).The adjusted formula for net income, incorporating these considerations, is:Net Income=(100 − Operating Expenses %) ×(100 − Vacancy Rate %) × Gross Income

They not only are showing me houses but educating me on all things Florida which is great.

Account Closed- thanks ...you should get pre approved for a hypotehtical purchase scenario for an investment property so that you can  1) educate yourself 2) get organized  3) determine if you are able to qualify 

I also volunteer my time as a board member of the RPA (Rental Property Association of Wisconsin), a non-profit REIA and we focus on education, landlord-tenant law and lobbying on behalf of landlords in Madison.Networking is important especially in the beginning, because it gives you confidence to see other people's success when you are getting started.

By starting small, you can educate yourself and develop effective management skills.