I have access to the VA loan from serving.I spend hours listening to audiobooks, reading, browsing the forums, and getting my RL license so I can be as educated as possible, but my question is, how much money would I need to begin investing in real estate?

You can also browse MLS everyday if you want but I like seeing deals coming into my inbox everyday, even if I'm not ready to buy.

Just spend the next 6 months browsing these forums, listening to the podcasts, reading a few books.Then start connecting with local realtors, general contractors, and developers.Post any specific questions you have about the process here in the forums and you'll get answers within a few hours.

I have been using Avail for the tenant interface side of things (marketing, rent collection, etc.) and using Stessa for my accounting and record keeping.

While you may receive numerous inquiries from individuals casually browsing listings, focus your time and energy on serious prospects.

I have been browsing many areas on Zillow to get a sense of sales vs rental.

We are now investing in an advanced CRM that will interface with our PM software for even more customization and automation - including hiring a specific expert to implement it for us.It will be a painful learning curve - short-term pain, for long-term gain.Suggest you make your list as you learn on the fly about what various softwares offer.Check these out: Buildium, Doorloop, Appfolio and Rentvine.Take your time, because switching is another painful task:(

Browse this forum, see who answers tax questions and how, and then reach out to those tax professionals who you are interested in working with. 

While you may receive numerous inquiries from individuals casually browsing listings, focus your time and energy on serious prospects.

I actually found one of Lance’s books on Amazon when I was first browsing around.