No better way to get started in my opinion, especially in expensive markets where the benefits of owning over renting can be life-changing thanks to appreciation.  

I use MojoSells and t's relatively inexpensive at $99/month. 

At no point were they business partners sharing in expenses or profits. 

They may be easy and relatively inexpensive to add sub-meters for the secondary unit, or they may be significantly intertwined, making it much more costly to separate.

It's an inexpensive market, but don't fall for cheap opportunities that look good on paper and details left out concerning the location and the vacancy rate. 

It took me about seven years to be able to quit my job as an engineer.This was mainly from buying inexpensive properties from motivated sellers for cash.Buying nice STR's with leverage is a much longer game especially this environment. 

I like to buy inexpensive antique furniture.

Personally I think the margins are too thin on arbitrage to make sense, but its an inexpensive way to get experience fast!

I saw 1099s between 28k-31k and 12k in expenses i.e. taxes and HOA.

The property brings in 5k a month, has 1k a month in expenses.