I met a contractor through the project that's become a solid 1st call for my next flip and a good friend in the process.

My suggestion would be to get an investor friendly agent who knows a few local markets and have them guide you in the right direction.

House hacking will be your best friend starting out .

All of this said, be sure to do your research on STR regulations first and find a STR friendly location.

While I often “trade” properties, a friend of mine is a buy and hold guy.  

There may be some lenders that might be a little more "borrower friendly", but I haven't found them (nor do I have the time to look for them).You might be able get better terms if you "house hack" by getting an FHA loan, but I don't generally work with those loans.

A4: If you pay as “friends and family” – then yes, need 1099s.Q5: I only need to send 1099s to people, not to LLCs, right?

    I urgently need a landlord-friendly lawyer in Fulton County.

I am partnering up with a good friend of mine.

Investing in AZ, NV, ID, where you have family or friends that is a day away and you can start to build a network and team to help manage a property.