I want to start smart and scale up as I learn the ropes, but I’m personally struggling to narrow down which area to focus on.If you’ve done this before, what advice would you give someone like me?

I narrowed it down to paying off a few of my rental properties, though I need to see how that will affect my possible tax deductions.

So, I'm looking to invest in other markets and trying to focus on one or two so that I can build knowledge over time, but narrowing it down is a challenge. 

Try to narrow down your options to the top 3-4.

I have been narrowing down some markets and trying to explore/research more and network.

That can help narrow down the best neighborhoods for your investment goals.

That's looking at it through a narrow lens though, when you zoom out to 5-10-15 years down the road and calculate the difference, in my experience the appreciation has been far more beneficial than the $200 difference per month in cash flow from a different market.

also look into AI powered softwares for narrowing down your search criteria. 

To start your journey, I recommend focusing on building your network by joining meetups and engaging in online forums, while narrowing down your first investment based on your budget, market, and goals.

I am not a huge fan of them personally as they are PE investors and have a very, very narrow view of the industry and how it should be approached.