As far as red flags, if you don't seem serious/ready that will turn some agents away.

How long it takes to be financially ready is different for everyone.

It has been a great rental and would continue to be one but I think I am ready to sell it!

Elkgrove-> Has decent new builts , rentals are less but builders are not ready to bargainRosevilee -> This has 3 pockets.   

"Diving into real estate as a newbie—ready to learn, connect, and turn knowledge into deals.

Just focusing on the passive income you want to achieve will leave you chasing cash flow which will have you buying properties in worse areas with harder tenancies that seem to cash flow better, but will have large cap ex.Any time someone asks a question about where to invest and it can be anywhere, they aren't ready to invest and are opening themselves up to every pitch in the world on an area.

Emphasize that your offer is competitive and you’re ready to move now, or set a reasonable deadline for the offer to ensure the seller knows you’re serious.Use Comparables StrategicallyHave data on hand to support your position.

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.

If your not ready to spend money on a software you can use tax records.

Do your homework first - then you'll be ready for a more meaningful conversation with a landlord.Best...