There seems to be a chicken or the egg dilemma regarding which actions to take first so I'd love to hear any advice (either answers to these questions or other thoughts).Should I use a letter campaign to find motivated sellers?

(we do not generally play "chicken" with taxes)As a mortgagee you are not obligated to advances the taxes at all.  

Although I've long been interested in RE investment (primarily as a buy-and-hold passive income source), I'm a chicken with no experience and limited cash reserve who just never got serious.

What came first the chicken or the egg?

I'm considering building a second window,  that would serve as a security measure, utilizing the space i have now,  and using a metal,  chicken wire type screen over sandblasted glass. havent had much luck on craigslist or ebay. 

Set the dining room table with a feast of fried chicken, watermelon, and a big glass pitcher of brightly-colored Kool Aid?

This sounds like a chicken vs. egg scenario, would you recommend any lenders you've worked with in the past for this?

Other than that there is chicken farms, schools, and prisons. 

A little bit of chicken/egg I think

Good to learn from someone before you jump, I Opened Own and Operate 2 RAL for last 15 years in Arizona let me know if if need info helped 4 friends open theirs 2 sold couldnt do the whole 24/7 life , other one is a Nurse Practicioners doing it as as house hack ( probably not recomend it) , if it wasn't for dificulty to find workforce in this area ( think chicken processing plants in Alabama have easier time finding workforce) and the Department of Health Requirements and Licensure Requirements i would have 30