From there I can expand and continue to invest or pivot to hiring out agent stuff, and start having fun with investments. 

You are trying to enter ACTIVE real estate investing where YOU play a SIGNIFICANT role.

We need to pivot now. 

I feel at this point trapped by the Analysis Paralysis syndrome, as well as time and energy starvation due to a full time job and role as a single parent.  

About a year or two ago I pivoted and started flipping and finding alternative strategies, but I have realized those cannot replace this strategy, they can be in addition to it, but I need to continue buying, moving, and keeping as a rental every couple of years because this really is the best strategy for building long term wealth.Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

That should play a role in investors buying decisions.

They could act as both an investor and manager, potentially bringing in more resources and taking a more active role in maximizing profits.

Once you pick one give it a serious dedicated effort, but if it's producing no fruit after several months you can always pivot and shift. 

I'm a wholesaler in Tampa Bay and I recently pivoted to wholesaling mobile homes to investor landlords.

sometimes i see people "overpay" - IE, pay more than I would - but, maybe they know something I don't, or have a skill I don't.and while I think the role of institutional investors has been largely overstated, they are definitely still one important factor, especially in certain markets.i think the tougher, riskier strategies still work, but i don't recommend those to beginners... because they are tough and risky.