Thanks @Brian Ortins our agent has been great to work with, she definitely takes the extra steps needed to get them sold. 

CPAs generally have more knowledge about general accounting but it is ultimately up to the individual person to take it a step farther to get more specialized.

Did you inherit this home with a step up in tax basis or will you need to pay taxes on any gains if you sell?

Each one has been a step up as far as space, location, and lay-out.

One question for the community is: What are the next best steps I should take to further educate myself and get started in this industry to set myself up for future success?

Here are some quick stats to consider:Tangible Asset: Real estate is a physical asset you can see and touch, which can provide peace of mind.Cash Flow: About 33% of homeowners rent out their properties, generating consistent income through rent.Appreciation: Real estate appreciates by about 3-5% per year, while the stock market averages around 10% but with more volatility.Tax Benefits: Investors enjoy deductions on mortgage interest, property taxes, and depreciation.Control: You can actively manage and improve your property to increase its value.Just take it step by step, and you might find real estate is less risky than it seems.

.✅ This avoids wasting time screening unqualified tenants.3) Before Lease Signing (Final Step)✅ Run the background check before approving the tenant, so you can verify:Credit history & income stability Eviction & rental historyCriminal background (if applicable in your state)Final ThoughtThe best time is after the showing but before lease approval—this ensures you’re only screening serious applicants while minimizing wasted time and costs.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a great mindset shift, and The Book on Rental Property Investing is a solid next step! 

-Booking.com is a very large and established company that has been around much longer than airbnb and vrboCons:-more listings to make sure are all staying maintained assuming you are also on airbnb and vrbo-you have to pay them their commission back at the end of each month which is a pain in the a** and is an unnecessary extra step-payouts can take longer as you mentioned-it has been impossible for me to find anyway to contact customer service over the phone and instead you have to refer to their forums and FAQs for any answers you need.Hope you found this helpful.

Partnering with investors, attending local meetups, and building a strong network would be key steps.