I should have realized I was able to use him from the beginning but he's a 'property manager' in my eyes and it didn't even occur to me he could have listed him - rookie mistake.

As firefighter rookie I had to draw floor plans for preincident planning...it was bad

Be sure to take note of any repairs or replacements that you think will be coming up and get some quotes - not saying it is a bad deal - just that you have such a thin margin, that there is very little room for error - so just be sure you know going into it - what you might be facing over the next couple of years. 

If you plan on managing properties yourself, it will become a full-time gig as you scale.Figure out what you need -- If you're a DIY kind of guy, you'll need deals, financing (multiple types), realtors, contractors and sub-contractors, appraisers, handymen, etc.Compare the two -- Doing it yourself provides excellent learning but requires a lot of time and trial and error.

This is either a rookie question or stupid question.

you don't want a divorcee,  trust me. it's trial and error.  

do not get carried away, play conservative on your first deal, leave some room for error.3) Find a qualified and experienced contractor, do not settle for cheapest, you want experience here, because their is a significant administrative burden not only paperwork, proper formatting, but also financial constraint on the contractor as these sometimes have $0 prepayment to contractor.

One thing that helped me is that I thought of myself as a successful real estate investor, not just a rookie.

The 70% rule is for rookies!  

I am also a rookie and trying to figure out how to get started, I would be investing from NC.