Going into a potential deal, I look at the track record of appreciation (sales comps) in the immediate area, not the general area, and based solely on properties that are within 10% higher/lower in sq ftg than the property I'm looking at.I have a goal of a specific number ()in dollars, NOT percentages) that I need to achieve in appreciation. 

Getting the loan with a bank would be a challenge without employment or track record (if self employed) so you're probably looking at hard money and I would venture that may even be a challenge. 

Professionals with decades of experience and very impressive track records do all the heavy lifting for you.

You're definitely on the right track. 

You're two months behind on rent with a bad track record.

Regardless of how much you invest, your risk is spread among a broad base of loans, allowing you to track overall averages rather than luck, plus you eliminate (or, more accurately, minimize) cash drag.  

@Corey G. you’re on the right track.  

Start by investing in a SFH rental or duplex and build experience and a track record.

It offers features such as property data, owner information, foreclosure tracking, and market trends analysis.

You could do that, but some Realtors don't like dual representation, it can put them in a bad spot, so in those instances, you might have you own agent.