Firstly, there is an STL REI happy hour next week that might be a good place for you to meet people.

Go to some meetings ahead of applying, talk to the members of the board and ask questions if you have any.

After putting about $50k into the property,  I’m just about $25k from meeting my completion goal that includes stucco, drywall, and siding.

You are completely liquid, don't have to take on the risk of failed deals, vendors/partners that steal from you, or trusting a stranger to manage your properties well.I know that "buy index funds, don't buy real estate" was probably not the take that you came here to get, but that's how I see it in the current market unless you want to be a hands on investor.

Appraisal is where if the value of the property didn't meet the value of the loan, you can negotiate the price to lower it.

You can also check meetup.com or search Facebook for real estate investment groups, clubs, or meetings in your area.You're feeling FOMO because you see people all over BP, YouTube, and Instagram bragging about their success.

For example, what is the current zoning - does it meet your needs?

Following the shiny object, throwing money at a market you don't know well, and blindly trusting strangers that have a clear profit motive put you in a poor position to succeed regardless of where you choose to invest.

If you’re wondering how much equity you’ve built or how you can use it to meet your goals, connect with a local real estate agent to explore the possibilities.

I ended up having to pay for their tax preparer’s time to (finally) meet with me and make corrections.