Evan - I am at the same point in my career/journey, and moving to the DFW area in September.Would love to go to a few meetups with you and work collaboratively on building a strong network, learning the market, and preparing to investment in a first property. 

I believe in keeping very strong communication with my tenants.  

i was exploring and saw some of the neighborhoods in kyle, Tx has school ratings like 8 and brand new houses in the range of 300K with potential rents at $2200 per month so overall making them cash flow positive. however, i am not sure why Kyle is a popular place. it is mid way between austin and san antonio but that does not seem to be a strong enough reason. 

Banks and credit unions can also offer flexibility for investors that engage in strong relationship-building strategies, offering discounts and solid loans in exchange for borrowers willing to use the institution for other purposes (savings accounts, etc.).

I would strongly advise anyone starting out not to be in a rush to skip steps, but rather to take the time that it takes to save for the first few to learn and pay down "the dumb tax" of figuring out what you don't know. 

If you could turn one home worth 120k into two homes worth 200k apiece (albeit with loans on them), you'll be setting yourself for more rental profits and more net worth via appreciation by being in a better area.Maybe jump down to crete where you can get some smaller homes in move condition around that 200k mark and the rents are really strong there and the better area will give you more appreciation over time.   

While income is important for any startup, at Connectlinx, we focus on building strong relationships with our users.

Whether it’s understanding the local market, finding the right deals, or building a strong network, I’m all ears!

If you are against PM's than you might want to consider partnering with someone with strong decision-making skills.

Overall, it could lead to a more cautious approach to buying and selling, with more emphasis on long-term holds rather than frequent exchanges.