Really soak that in.

Looking forward to soaking up all of this knowledge and hopefully learning some things that will sustain me for the long run.

Totally just a preference, but if you don't have room for a real soaking tub, and there are no kids to worry about, I think a shower generally is just nicer looking and gives the opportunity to tile the floor and make it really nice at not so much additional cost, That being said, if you are going to put in an insert and not make it really nice, just go with the tub.

I hope I can get a mentor in the area and work under them for free to soak in his or her’s experience & purchase my first property within a year.

You're asking all the right questions, and there's no super urgency, while you're saving.Take your time, soaking up all the webinars and blogs and threads here that you can find.You'll find the "Search BiggerPockets" (at the top of screen) really useful.Your way forward should become clearer to you as you become closer to being ready.I recommend starting out investing in your own 4-plex primary using FHA, rather than out of state Turnkey (which are invariably sold for full market value, despite what the TK Company might say).Keep asking good questions, and taking the right SAVINGS steps - and you'll get there!

I'm looking to connect with like minded people and I'm eager to soak up as much knowledge as possible!

Good luck finding your first property - soak in as much education (books, podcasts, videos...) as possible and make some offers when you're ready!

So I follow the news and listen to the BP podcasts and the signs are clearly flashing danger for MF syndications - high interest rates and short-term debt coming due, constrained bank lending, slowdown in rent increases and tons of new projects coming online to soak up demand.

I say no to them but if you do allow I would encourage a larger deposit and lvp floors so it doesn’t soak up into the carpet or get to the floorboard.  

You will probably need to do this multiple times, and you will need to soak the deck brush in a bucket filled with dish soap solution and comb it out with a paintbrush comb to remove the tar residue in the brush bristles between cleanings..