There are a lot of ways to crash and burn, so increasing the odds of succeeding long term should be your highest priority. you can always sell your local assets once you're comfortable managing rentals and ready for a market that better-suits your criteria. btw, kudos for being self-aware of your limitations.

They tend to all have good incomes, little to no credit, and are self employed with lots of family.

Hi @Chris Garnes,I am an investor who has self-funded rehabs and also a licensed mortgage broker.

Had an issue with trying to self-permit a build a few years back that was an HPR but had an "A" and "B" designation.

I moved all of her old retirement money into a self directed IRA/Solo 401K and started putting her money to work through real estate lends.

I use Stessa to self manage 8 properties.

I signed up with them about 3 to 4 months ago, then found out how expensive the loan was to get going with them and told them that I would self finance it instead but they had to cancel the loan first...they use a company called Special Financing Company..the person I spoke to at REI his name is Paul, he said he would take care of canceling the loan, but a month later I realized that they were pulling $599 out of my bank account.

Quote from @Armell Mayers: Started out 4 years ago not knowing anything about Real Estate and have been self-taught till this day!! 

This client was transferred to me by another PM in our company because her portfolio is maxed out and she doesn't have capacity to take on more properties.This client had been self-managing a short-term SFR for the past several years and recently converted it to LTR.

Self financed How did you add value to the deal?