Getting good advice (emphasis on good) in real time is important.

Let's take a look at where the VCs invest their money.  25.3% of GLOBAL investments go to the Silicon Valley.  

But I do put more emphasis on CoC.

I've been studying REI for 4 years, joined local REIA, attended REI meetups etc with emphasis on wholesaling. 

Some lenders would let you refi if your global cash flow can support the debt but that requires income from multiple sources (w2 income, other rentals, etc).

The lower your credit score, the lower the allowable DTI (debt to income ratio), so that's another consideration.As for private lenders or lenders that don't follow government or agency guidelines, they typically want a much larger down payment 25-30%, and they will put a much lower emphasis on credit.A local mortgage broker is your best source for accessing these types of programs.

I am 21 years old, and am studying Global Agribusiness at Arizona State University.

I think there is way too much of an emphasis put on realtors in developing a strong pipeline. 

Look, I give Kiyosaki the full respect of what he did, it was a big deal, emphasis on "was".

@Erik Mielke Great advice, I will narrow down my risk tolerance for neighborhood class and include a higher emphasis on NOI goals.My biggest struggle with purchasing with lending initially is that while I have cash to invest, my income isn't strong enough to merit good lending terms.