Bought a place a few months ago on market while doing a 1031 exchange..

Every where you turn there are STRs going up on the market fully furnished because they couldn't pay the mortgage and bills with the rental income. 

After 5 years in the business I’m starting to get a few word of mouth referrals which is how I closed my last property which was my first off market deal.

Unless you have $5 - 10k MONTHLY to spend on marketing this is what you need to do to have any chance for success with wholesaling.  

Seems like the new on line marketing methods  Section 8 is the new shinny object..

Do you know the markets you threw out really well? 

If you have a lot of family in OK, that can be a great place to start assessing since you have dedicated boots on the ground, as well as a reason to visit.Don't overthink the analyzing of markets when you are still figuring things out.

I don't know about other areas in TX, but I keep a close eye on Austin-SAN corridor, and I'm familiar with the market in Kyle, New Braunfels and NE San Antonio.

In many markets section 8 is higher than market rate. and investors need that extra return to mitigate the risk of sec 8 tenants generally speaking.

Use a buyer's agent that knows the market, contracts, negotiations, etc.If you really want to learn about investing, get a job in property management.