For a multitude of reasons, I chose to take a break from this and all other forums for the last few months.

During this time, I rediscovered local markets and real life deals far removed from the fantasy land of thes...

My best suggestion would be to stroll on over to doityourself dot com and post this question on there in the "heating and A/C" forum.

Healthcare will be another big shoe to drop.

Go to the largest realestate office in your area.Call and make an appointment to talk with someone about a career in realestate(I say career because when an 18-25 year old calls me and says "hey man you hiring I need a job" I usually do not return the call.Be serious,on time,willing(to do what ever they ask of you),show up shaved,well dressed(not a suit necessarily...but good jeans nice polo and decent shoes),and be polite and respectful starting with your first phone call.That said expect THEM to pay for your schooling if you want to become a realestate agent,in return you will probably end up signing a 1-2 year work agreement saying you will do nothing in realestate other than work for said entity.Also look at up front fees.Some realestate agents here pay for a desk in an office on a monthly basis...if it is that type of office I would go somewhere else.Expect a low commision rate to start,after all they are paying to start you out and need to recoup the cost of that.Be eager to learn,but do not be the annoying new guy lol.All that said if you are serious about becoming an investor there is almost no better way to start.You will learn your local market,realestate transactions and laws.It is always better to know more than the other guy when investing.If you show up on time,work hard,and show promise you will do well.Oh,if the first office you go to does not need anyone at that time do not give up.

They don't teach you anything about running a real business, working with clients, returning phone calls, or being a good real estate agent.As for them learning to be real estate investors, I think most are not qualified to tie their shoes, let alone decide if a property is a money maker.Probably going to tick people off with this post, but it is the way I feel.

when I was in your shoes I added a new build to rental component to my business. 

Called predatory dealing.No, this is no longer the wild west where you get what you can get some fool to agree to, might do that in a shoe store, but not in real estate.Obviously you've never been to court over a real estate transaction where some owner cried foul of misleading valuations.

My rules include things like no shoes in the house, clean up after yourself, shared bathrooms must be cleaned regularly.

I wouldn't suggest a HML to start since you'll be held to tight deadlines and progress and that may be hard to ensure 100% with this being your first endeavor.Never underestimate the power of networking and hearing things straight from folks who have been in your shoes - best of luck as you continue to pursue these resources!

You have to put yourself into the shoes of a motivated seller.