3) How well prepped was your property?

If not I wouldn't bother selling as there is an incredible amount of money lost in buying and selling properties, so you have to make sure you have a plan to maximize the equity and actually have enough. 

The property or properties will be in Florida and/or Alabama.

Focus on absentee owners and start with the ones who live the farthest away and only own one property in the area since they have the least use for the property.You can also drive for dollars, looking for anomalies of disrepair and then look them up in the tax records and use a site like Spokeo to do cheap skip tracing.

Additionally, it provides investors with the opportunity to add a unit on a property they already own, simplifying management since the new unit is in the same location.Finding a vacant lot is both expensive and difficult, so the ability to build, subdivide, and create new development opportunities can make financing easier.

I have not done it myself, but have helped some people with financing.

local REIA groups are filled with investors looking to buy properties.

It requires a solid understanding of real estate finance and long-term strategy. 

Max of three rental properties.

$1,500-$1,600 is about the going rate for a 2/2 in most average areas of BR, but I can see where some neighborhoods would get more.Another thing to think about - if the property is sitting vacant right now and you have ready and willing (and qualified) tenants, then the opportunity cost of waiting an extra month or two is $1,550/month.