No one can do the ground work for you. 

I am starting to lay ground work for buying an investment property sometime in the next six months.

In time, this ground work will turn into a pot of gold.Enduring success in the real estate business is not a get rich quick scheme.

The more planning and groundwork you can do now, the better prepared you will be when the time comes to purchase that second property.

You can begin to lay the groundwork for the expectations of your tenants, and get a pretty good feel from that initial discussion whether they are a good fit.Also, regarding setting up showings, I would recommend you setup a rental open house.

The one thing I would add is gauging levels of interest from potential investors (all the groundwork) is different than having signed subscription agreements for specific dollar amounts (closing).  

We've been doing a lot of "boots on the ground" work for CA and other investors this past summer and now into fall.

I would love to do any of the on the groundwork or grunt work if you ever need it.

Unless you’re planning to quit your job, work significantly at REI on the margins, or partner with someone who can do the groundwork, you’re probably not going to be wholesaling or driving for dollars or flipping or any number of great strategies to add value and generate revenue.

It also sets the groundwork for any future estate planning, which can become a huge, and expensive, hassle in the future.This isn't legal advice, just my opinion as a real estate investor.