I do have a third goal, but too much will happen by the time my second goal materializes that my third goal will likely change drastically.Also, I tend to find myself wanting to ask market-specific questions to agents/lenders/investors/contractors/etc. a lot.

Is there a reliable source to get this information from other than agents? 

If anyone who professes to teach you something about real estate cannot or will not identify 10-20 specific, verifiable addresses they currently own and rent out, or have flipped, or optioned away or syndicated or whatever, they do not deserve any of your money. 

Could you dive a bit deeper into the specific purposes each of these metrics serves?

Does it clearly indicate that a specific address is a short-term rental, making it visible to my next mortgage lender?

There is no specific IRS-mandated minimum holding period for a property acquired through a 1031 exchange before you can retitle it, that's why it's hard to find an answer. 

For example, are there specific documents or information I should prepare, or would identifying a target property first be more beneficial?

And if you’re targeting specific regions, what makes those areas attractive for your strategy?

Are there specific qualities or terms you look for that make the relationship a good fit for your investment strategy?

Quote from @Sri Reddy: I am a newbie to real estate investing and looking for guidance from the teams here to understand the sources from where we can find any small retail spaces to buy.