Your advice about keeping an eye out for neglected properties and checking foreclosure auction listings is very helpful.

You can also check meetup.com or search Facebook for real estate investment groups, clubs, or meetings in your area.

That will likely be one of the side effects of improving your property and should be accounted for in your analysis.

If you want to buy REO properties, the easiest way to narrow the market is to check the "lender owned" box on MLS.

Additionally, we have a decent amount invested in retirement accounts, which we plan to continue building over time.As part of the move, we’ll be purchasing a larger home.

Bonus if you do any of this in a Roth account.

Have you checked similar listings in the area to see how quickly they are renting?

Inquire about a property and see how the PM responds.Those are a couple of checks you can try with any PM.

There are a few illegal ways but that is the wrong way to get into this business.I have heard all the arguments about how the mortgage company doesn't care who writes the check as long as they receive it.

Murrells Inlet, in my opinion, is the better strategic route but you need to check out both and vet themselves for your risk tolerance.