@Megan Stone good to hear this attorney offering you excellent advice even though it isn't in their 'best interest'.I've always established my commercial RE LLCs in the state of the asset.  

Basically, a contract that is a win for the seller, a win for the contract buyer, and a win for the property buyer.

You will use conventional or FHA, but it's VERY hard to win in Northern NJ with an FHA loan on a multi just because most sellers interpret FHA as not having the money instead of an investment vehicle so that needs to be explained.You aren't going to learn much in an online underwriting course as most of those are for commercial properties and no one online can teach you how to underwrite a small multi in Northern NJ because the vacancy, cap ex, taxes, are all different.

We use Microsoft project, jira and excel at work.What you are looking for are project management tools (for google searches).Edit: I am a mechanical engineer-not in construction or real estate.

Birmingham MSA has some spots where you can win but if you have to know that market well to win.

Regarding the excel model, do you mean to manage assets or to acquire them?

I don’t have much income but also no debt and excellent credit so not sure why I wasn’t on from the beginning.

It could become a big win win. 

Kitchen has the light brown cabinets in excellent shape.

First, the book is excellent for anyone looking to learn more about investing in real estate.