Forgive me if this sounds like a dumb question, but as someone just starting out, how would you recommend one to go about finding and getting pre-approved with a quality mortgage lender?

Invest the Roth in a diversified pool of high-quality notes. 

Most that you find on Zillow under $40k have some sort of issues that would come up on the MLS but not on Zillow- Build prices are now $250k- Lots are appraising for anywhere from $350-$410k (I'm pleased to report two of mine were ones that came in at $410k)- Lots listed are now in a full-price, multiple offer situation- The quality of the custom builders RTR works with far exceeds that of the "expedited" spec builds you'll see from the national builders in the area. 

Any recommendations or insights on how to find the right fit would be incredibly helpful.Tenant Screening: Lastly, I'm curious about effective strategies for finding high-quality tenants, especially when renting out rooms individually.

Buy, refinish the floor, spiff up but don't modernize, then trot on down to the Huntington Collection and furnish with quality, durable antiques.The niche market I'd target is rich parents of out of state child actors coming out for auditions.

I suspect your rent estimate is still low unless your property is a very low-quality rental.

- How's the tenant quality ?

I just think the rents are low enough to get a whole apartment outside the in demand areas that you'd have a tough time with getting quality tenants wanting to rent a room over just renting a studio or 1BR apartment. 

You make a valid point about the active involvement required in being a landlord, even in high-quality neighborhoods.

You said you live in Austin, no better way to learn than directly so, there is a syndication group Viking Capital LLC, that is buying/raising for a 252 unit property in NewBraunfels, about 45 min south of Austin, watch their webinar at their website below and they have an 82 pg slide show as well, then take a 3 hour trip to go see it, walk the property, go into office ask about the units available/leasing how the market is from the office staff, look around for quality of property/deferred maintenace needed then drive the area for other competitor properties.