So, I floated the idea here on BiggerPockets to see what more experienced folks would have to say about it.

Evaluating a self-storage opportunity and would love folks' input on a few questions that I have, below. 

Now, that meetup is in South County, on the MO side, but brings in folks from Belleville, Fairview, Collinsville, Cahokia, and all over the St Louis area.Now, there is a monthly GRID meetup in Edwardsville that brings in folks from the metro-east, as well.Generally, going to any real estate meetups in the St Louis area will find you someone who also invests in Belleville.I also invest in Cahokia, John.

Im an investor and agent in Phoenix who's helped a handful of folks with 1031 transactions.

Where do folks find MTR?

As @JonathanGreene said, tech has created an environment that allows folks like you Jon, to enjoy investing on your terms so that you do not put all of your eggs into one basket (so-to-speak).

PS before the hedge funds jumped in about 2011 to 2012 I was an activce courthouse buyer in Henry county and a few of the counties on the north side of Atl metro so been to many of the  auctions having them all on one day is a cluster .. you have multiple criers crying sales simultainously it can be hard to follow but you can also squeeze out one that folks missed.. we did quite well until the hedge funds knocked us little guys out of the area..

If these folks owned their own home prior, I would probably take that as them having better credit at that time even without a credit report to support it. 

I have seen a lot of folks that typically BRRRR pivot to flipping for the time being.

In this function, they will typically make better returns AND have a lower perceived risk level because they are controlling the assets.