Typically, a licensed agent or a current property owner with experience in the product field you are concentrating in will be the best help.

If the property you're buying is owner occupied, the investor concentration doesn't come into play because you will improve the investor concentration. 

Have you identified a niche in real estate you want to concentrate on?

In terms of the strategy, pick one the interests you the most at this time and concentrate on it until you perfect it, then move on to add another strategy, and etc...

Instead of looking for something to assist in real estate investing concentrate on what you are interest it and prepared to make a career of.

I'm in Texas, and I concentrate on building CASH FLOW.  

You need to concentrate on improving your employment income.

Select a strategy to concentrate, learn it inside and out and stick to it until it is working on auto-pilot.

I think the Midwest is in a better position unless you already have some rentals in Dallas and want to keep them concentrated.

With respect, police in general today are much too busy fighting meth, heroin and opioid dealing/use to worry much about cannabis--that's an 'off the record' comment from a detective we know.So, assess the situation, take positive action, don't worry and keep moving forward!