And feel you'll have more options / strategies to explore with a tri or quad plex in the long range.

We have couple turnkeys, and couple of BRRRs that we did so far (all are single family residential properties with long-term tenants).We are interested in exploring commercial real estate, and wanted to get all of your help in getting started. 

I want to explore every avenue to make this work, and I’d even be open to partnering with an experienced motel operator to help bridge my knowledge gap.

I will explore the JV approach.

An LLC isn't necessary when starting, in the long term, it may be worth exploring.

Alternatively, I could explore hard money lenders.

I am still up there pretty frequently though so if there are every any REI meetups that you know about or a way to find those I would love to explore that possibility!

Once you’ve built some confidence and systems, you can start exploring additional markets.I personally focus on 2 markets that are about 20 mile radius.Make sure the market(s) you choose align with your investing goals, whether that’s cash flow, appreciation, or both.

I’d be more than happy to hop on a call with you to discuss the different areas and explore how you might make it work.

@Dwight HenningRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.