R.E. agents/brokers now have ALL tools, options, networks readily available. 

In return for excellent service I'll be offering repeat business and I'll happily provide referrals to my existing investor network for those top performers. 

I know of investors in my network that are sending a lot more with no issues.

Meetups are another excellent source of education and networking.

👋 Excited to be part of such a great network of investors!

_______________________________________________________________________________Recommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

If I were starting over as an out-of-state investor, I’d focus on building a strong network from day one—especially a great agent, property manager, and contractor.

I am currently focused on Wholesaling Real Estate Deals in the North Dallas and DFW areas.I am eager to Network with fellow Investors and Professionals in the area to explore Opportunities for Collaboration.

everyone wants the distressed assets you're trying to find.the short answer to your questions is: start going to lots and lots of meetups and network in person.i would also think about house hacking as soon as you can. 

We are a not for profit member community that has tons of networking events, educational seminars and vendors to help you in any journey you find yourself attracted to.