Your lender needs to get on the ball and do the appraisal. 

On the flip, I am now more confident when evaluating these lower value multifamily properties.I'm going to set up a meeting with my primary bank just to talk and get a feel for what price range I can play ball in.Thanks again everyone.

Also if that someone does miss something that's discovered during an audit, they get fined and not me (obviously a pattern will result in a severed relationship, so I keep everything compliant to the best of my ability so that final QC/compliance package is a slow ball I'm pitching their way that they can knock out of the park).

You put in the loan checks, and that's useful to those who haven't been through the whole charade.Congrats on taking the leap and taking a chance and moving the ball forward.

The first few years are tough, but if you are lucky and and you handle your financing well, the ball starts to roll faster every year.

Not the whole ball of wax+ like you do a 1031. 

We have had a couple tire kickers low balling us, usually we just ignore those emails.

I've considered getting my license or getting into wholesaling but due to the costs of living on Long Island and the fact that my professional and social networks are entirely NYC-based, I'll likely be moving to a new market within the year.Do any other younger investors out there have any stories/tips they could share as to how they got the ball rolling?

Real estate is so localized, asking a broad question like this is hard to answer and no one has that crystal ball. 

That is a whole different ball game!