Akron is a very blue city and are not very landlord friendly - source of income protections, etc... 

You want to talk to friends and family on this, I don't know anyone who would see this on the Internet and be like, yeah, this sounds like exactly what I am looking to do with my money.

You rarely will get both (at least not right now in this current market).If you want to explore different opportunities within various areas of the Valley, get a seasoned investor-friendly Realtor who is competent. 

You’ll likely find a strategy that aligns with your goals and lifestyle.Since you’ve been enjoying the BiggerPockets Money podcast, I’d also recommend checking out the Real Estate Rookie podcast—it’s great for diving into beginner-friendly strategies and learning from others who’ve been in your shoes.Feel free to reach out if you want to chat more or bounce around ideas.

Start with your closest friends and family but they will invest with you because of your relationship not necessarily because of the real estate or your real estate acumen. 

That may be a little too aggressive but I do enjoy landlord friendly states as opposed to the tenant friendly ones.

make friends. 

Just straight information and super friendly atmosphere.

At that time, my friend encouraged me to get into real estate with the idea of creating passive income and wealth in future (via appreciation).

Most of my landlords either don't accept pets at all or are super pet-friendly so pet rent has never been something we have charged.