I recently rediscovered the idea of Equity partners, or a least a financial partner that has the cash and lets me do all the foot-work.

Footwork

Let me know if I can do some footwork for you before you get here. 

I won't be able to do a lot of footwork in the beginning so what are the best ways to get started without having to "pound the pavement?

I will definitely be doing some more foot work.

As @Melvin List suggests you need to find a local broker to do the foot work for you.

I will be doing the footwork this week to find out what zoining regulations exists, construction limitations exist, permits needed, and most importantly what funding is available.  

They will do all the foot work necessary on your behalf.In your position, with the markets as high as they are and potentially a market adjustment on the horizon, I would be selling not holding SFHs at this time.

If you do the footwork, the title company might see these as easier to work or you might need to offer to pay the title company more for all of the extra work.

i think if investors BEFORE they bought properties that require  medium to heavy managment they should definetly sort out their style of management and sourcefrom what i reading is people are basically tired of bad tenants and other minor thing such as up keep.but if u did a bit of footwork and got yourself some good solid tenants that are trustworthy and would treat your property nice i dont see a problem.. having a residental rent collector and your good tenants and your own contracted mainence is pretty much it..good footwork is always valuable all the time ..people need rental homes just as much as people need owned homes