You want to use flips to partially fund this venture - flips that will drive up housing prices => rents.

The thing I didn't like about RentRedi after doing lots of research and preparing a spreadsheet with features and costs, is that RentRedi doesn't disclose up front that the accounting portion is linked to another company and is extra and, frankly, comparable to the pricing of the "big boys."   

More preparation on the parcels i'm working on.

Start with $8K through FHA loans, joint ventures, private money loans, crowdfunding platforms, and BRRRR strategy.

Hundreds of hours spent listening to podcasts and reading books on and off during that time kept the dream alive and prepared me to take the leap when an opportunity came up.I had received my real estate license about a year earlier to make some extra money but we were hitting a point in our debt and near future expenses that I knew I had to step out and make something happen.

This is my pre-retirement preparation.

If this is your first venture, your presence at the property will be very important, there is a learning curve, factor in your travel time and other commitments.

GC's are all very well prepared in contracts now post covid, so there will be job stops when there isn't $ to cover those job cost runs. 

Just be prepared for potential vacancies.My advice is to build relationships with university housing offices.

Quote from @Chris Barrett: Yes, and if the buyer isn't able to close due to reasons other than allowable in the OTP you will lose your EMD and they'll owe you money that they apparently couldn't pay in the first place...As the person bringing the EMD you are essentially Joint Venturing on the contract and as such you have the right to cancel the contract just as much as the wholesaler.