I always suggest to come to Pittsburgh,  check out the topography, infrastructure, economic opportunities and of course a sampling of properties. 

BiggerPockets groups —lots of solid resources and a supportive community here or at local REI meetups; you'll find folks willing to share tips (and maybe even some potential partners).Here are some other strategies that could also help you scale faster:Partnerships/Joint Ventures: Teaming up with others, especially experienced investors or people with capital but limited time.

And of course one can Own a PM company and have a designated broker in charge that is not an owner..

This is my first extensively water damaged home that I may purchase. Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the roof. The roof and attic are the best parts of the house, 0 problems.
Main line, laundry line, kitchen ...

@Josh CaughranWelcome to the community and be ready for a huge amount of information at your finger tips.

Any tips or resources are appreciated.

For up/down duplexes, I would ALWAYS spring for full sized windows in the downstairs if you can, and of course the required egress windows in bedrooms at a minimum.

That’s why I laugh at the rubes buying the various “90 days to …” courses.

I keep reading different things online.

However, with the frequent incidents and the persistent odor, even after cleaning, I’m beginning to wonder if this has become the norm for STRs in urban areas.Any advice or tips on how to prevent this would be greatly appreciated!