This is a good question.I found that meetups are kind of like you described not much really happens there and for sure REIAs and their monthly meeting kind of the same people talking about the same thing then bring in ( at least what i have seen with the PDX reia) folks that are presenting on things that worked decades ago.. and want to sell their stuff for a few grand.For me personally the best networking hands down was SF Bay Area events  San Jose Reiaand LA  FIBI events.folks in those markets are very real estate centric and generally more experienced and in San Jose so many tech folks that have done really really well.. maybe not in RE but have done great in TECH and have quite a bit of bandwidth for investments..

The first thing the technician did was take a toilet tank cover off and run his hand across the bottom.

We've been reading everything we can get our hands on, listening to podcasts, and spending time every morning reading and learning from the forums here at BP. 

I would love to get my hands on some fixer uppers in Baltimore, but it's not in the cards right now.

On the other hand, newly listed properties tend to attract offers at asking price due to higher demand and interest. 

Fix-and-flips or fix-and-rents are awesome next steps, but they’re hands-on—perfect if you’ve got the time, less so if the online business or dad duties ramp up.An Alternative Pitch: Here’s where I’d love to throw something your way.

Get in front of tired landlords, who may offer you a hand up.  

Pacing yourself is key, especially as you get hands-on experience managing maintenance and tenant dynamics.Since you have a strong W-2 income, you're in a great position to leverage creative financing options as you grow.

Financing is also easier since lenders prefer predictable rental income over the fluctuations of STRs or MTRs.Short-Term Rentals (STRs) and Mid-Term Rentals (MTRs) can be lucrative but require more hands-on management.

Quote from @Grace Tapfuma: @Benjamin Aaker, who would manage those properties if I am hoping for a more hands off approach?