Every PM operates differently, and at the end of the day, there is tons of information you can navigate on your own in the beginning stages online, but surely there will be PM's that would be more than happy to assist you on journey. 

Could I request the same assistance as Deborah?

And ask for there assistance, explain your struggles, trying to "break-in" and get a seat at the table.

And don’t sleep on local banks or credit unions—they sometimes offer flexible portfolio loans that could work for a deal like this.Since your wife qualifies as a first-time homebuyer, check out any state-specific programs or HUD options for down payment assistance.

We estimate the project will take less than 3 months to complete.I’m exploring alternative short-term financing solutions and would appreciate any advice or recommendations on options that might work well for this type of project.Thank you in advance for your insights and assistance!

The reason you would hire a licensed professional is to assist with you not gettting SCAMMED and help you with negotiating prices and terms...based upon State Law. 

With a Conventional Loan you can buy a SFH, Duplex, Triplex or Quadplex with as little as 5% Down if it is your primary residence as long as you have the intention of occupying one of the units for 1 year after closing escrow.This is the strategy I have personally implemented and have assisted many of my investor clients in doing the same. 20% Down is also beneficial as it keeps your payment low but it does limit your ability of buying more real estate faster.i would be more than happy to discuss the different strategies with you over the phone or in person.

You can hire a few different virtual assistants on a website such as Upwork.com, train them on how to skip trace, and stick with the one that is the best. 

Additionally, I really want to dive into the property management realm and am passionate about connecting and assisting other Veterans and Active Duty. 

I've extensively searched online but haven't come across relevant training courses or tutorials.If you have any insights or recommendations on where I could find resources for learning Yardi, I would greatly appreciate it.Thanks for your assistance!