You need to learn how to analyze property and determine if they are a good investment.Here's a guide that describes how to analyze a property.https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rental-property-cash-flow...

As someone who is new to real estate, I'm thinking of being a bird dog for investors (although I haven't found any to work with me yet ) until I learn more of real estate. 

Welcome to BiggerPockets!

And all those skills you going to have to learn and master in UK to get a property under control, operate it, market it, monetize, operate etc., ALL 100% translates to anything and everything you will do when back in US. 

Quote from @Michael Challenger: I have no qualms with hard money lending, but I need to learn more about the process and structure to these for typical deals so that I am more comfortable and in a position to reduce my personal risk and risk to investors as much as possible.

I’ve been trying to learn a lot about Airbnb and want to get into that side specifically.

I've got about $525K in equity in the property, but lenders have told me that I cannot get a HELOC to access that equity for additional purchases because the duplex was financed as an investment - they have said TX law dictates that HELOC can only be used on primary residences.

I bought several multi-family this way and negotiated financing terms that were better than the bank.Cody Davis started investing at 19.

house was built half way onto my lot.. owner of house went to court he only had to pay what half of the lot was worth at the time.. so no big win.. more like a big hassle

It’s awesome that you want to use your downtime to learn more about the industry and make some extra income as a VA.