Hi @Joshua Manier,**I'm not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned**Your strong financial profile and low LTV puts you in a great position!

Quote from @An Lan: I am not a professional real estate investor, I just invest in houses as a safe asset and do not choose to rent them out.

If you need financial help, ask under the "Finance, Tax, and Legal" forum.

Hotels are the baby of real estate investing and running a business.Unlike any other commercial asset class, hotels are extremely labor-intensive to run but can spit off ridiculous cash flow.

Focus on the physical aspect of physical assets. 

These loans are short-term, asset-based, and designed for situations like yours.

(Auctions and foreclosures can also provide great leads.)With $20K, hard money loans are a practical option, as they emphasize a property’s ARV over your financial history.

If it’s doable financially I’d recommend the duplex.

everyone wants the distressed assets you're trying to find.the short answer to your questions is: start going to lots and lots of meetups and network in person.i would also think about house hacking as soon as you can. 

I believe such plans are offered by specialty divisions of the mainstream financial services providers like CIBC & RBC.