Are the kids walking around the living room? 

Now, you can get some wholesalers but they usually don't know if the property will fit the requirements and regulations but you can learn that from the Realtor. 

You will learn a lot, but you just may walk away with new friends, new partners, and maybe even someone who can call a mentor.

Hey Cecil, if you have the capital to operate locally, and it fits your goals to do so, I highly recommend doing that.Congrats on securing your primary though.

Your time is best spent producing the revenue that allows you to invest in the first place.That includes using local agents you meet and feel are a good fit for you, property managers, possibly buying completed properties like the one you posted here, and outsourcing as much of the process as you can as you get started. 

and are you looking to walk away with cash or simply refinance (meaning paying off) what you owe? 

I designed a little U-shaped kitchen to fit right in the space.

On the other hand, if you're hoping for better appreciation, Columbus will be a better fit.

I have read multiple books on the subject but I am lacking someone in my life that has already walked through the process. 

They sell a 4 unit for close to 1 million dollars close to Jacksonville. they want 250k or 300k down. there's no upside. you can google the properties on biggerpockets and there isn't a lot of satisfaction. it's a slow return and get rich slow strategy. our focus is always as a builder to add maximum value, lower cost as low as possible, build and rent and build and sell the same product and raise prices to help investors out. we have a large market share and large purchasing power in our market in columbus ohio. the one strategy I never liked about turnkey new build brokerage companies like them and build2rent or others is they don't really build close to urban centers and most are single family homes. the numbers don't work on single family homes. if single family was the way to go more companies would be doing it. but by far the most common type of new construction built is three story walk up apartments.