@Emily Gowen so as you pointed out you would not have to do a 1031 exchange on your current home to avoid the capital gains tax and coupled with what Dave Foster pointed out I think, speaking from experience you would have a high likelihood of success. 

It’s a smart move, especially since it ties in with your goal of saving for your first investment.For skills, you probably already have a good foundation with your sales experience—things like communication, organization, and dealing with clients are all super valuable.

I am keen to learn from the experiences of seasoned professionals and collaborate with fellow investors who share a passion for real estate.

You don't need to know everything to get started; you need a foundation to build on, and the rest will come through experience and then refining your education.You can build a basic understanding of investing in 3-6 months.

While I’m not a newbie, I own two condos as long term rentals, I live overseas and thus my real estate experience is overseas.

Also, making some sacrifices can more than make up for lack of capital or experience when getting started.

It generally isn't worth the brain damage of experimenting though....especially if you want to move to a new home that you will own inside of the typical lender's seasoning period.

So I am not telling you what do, rather I am just sharing my experience. 

I'd be happy to share my experiences from both perspectives.

I have no experience there.