I'm really trying to do something out-of-state, but really need to see how other people did it before possibly jumping in myself.

Excellent start. 

Recently bought a SFH (not in LLC) the price of rental insure has jumped significantly with State Farm, what are better options?

Awesome gratitude - off to a good start! 

Start by networking at local meetups and connecting with investors, agents, and property managers.

You will likely miss some deductions using the commercial tax software but it’s the cheaper option and starting out a couple hundred dollars in deductions missed likely isn’t that big of a deal.

There's no real wrong answer to your question, but the right answer starts with you figuring out what general direction you want to aim in. 

Once youve got a few months of experience and everything is stable, start looking for the next one.

Deals and partnerships started flowing in when we focused on providing value first rather than chasing transactions.What’s been the biggest shift in your approach since getting clear on your long-term goals?

The last one, however, started with many people from two certain neighborhoods, gathered by a local non-profit, who spoke much about affordable housing, being displaced, etc.