I am looking for any advice that could help me take the plunge in an educated and well informed way. 

The lesson I have learned is that I have been too slow to take the plung.

I'm going to be patient and only take that first plunge when I find that excellent deal.

My wife and I are in the same boat as you, trying to learn as much as we can before taking the plunge!

I guess I am hoping I can convince myself to take the plunge and become a more serious investor and play like the big boys...So now I am looking into taking that awesome deal, get funding somehow (private lenders/ hard lenders), buy rehab flip, and then BRRRR it?

It sounds like you were on the fence about plunging into your first deal.

I haven't made the plunge yet, but looking forward to buying 1 rental property each year for the next ten years.

I then came in and bought a house a few years later from someone that took the plunge and found out later the numbers didn't make sense...but they got caught up in the hype and the 'buying something to buy something before they were all gone', and they way overpaid.

Hello BP,I'm looking at finally taking the plunge and buying my first property.  

It's up at the top under the "learn" button.It's a good book and will give you some other ideas before you take the plunge and leave the family.