My professional background is data science / analytics, which means analyzing cash flows will probably come more naturally than building relationships, which apparently, is how one finds deals worth making.Are there meetups in these areas I should attend (digitally at first, presumably)? 

Your goal is to build a passive real estate portfolio (we can discuss what passive means to you), so while I don't condone throwing $100k into a deal without even a basic understanding, alternatively doing so will teach you far more lessons than reading a book will.  

So, you're actually making the argument *against* debt (not for it).I think you mis-understand debt, risk and the alternatives.

Too much buying, selling, and human nature to just forget about it and let the compounding effect of time do its magic.

My view is there is more protection on a wrap than a sub to and with the right disclosures and underwriting can be an alternative option. 

I would still need to subscribe to a streaming service for cable tv, so cost savings wouldnt be much (or a wash), but otherwise it seems like it might be a viable alternative?

Naturally you need to charge them for any damage to incldue smoke damange 

Alternatively, if I can find a lower cost single fam home where I can cash out 100% of my investment I would do that but those have been harder to find recently. 

I was just curious about how those relationships naturally come about.

At the end of the project's life the land must be restored to a natural state and the materials must be recycled if possible, eg. stripping out metal, etc.