A lot of my leads now are "wholesalers" or essentially bird-doggers who work their immediate sphere of influence but have no idea how to process a deal let alone close it out. 

Keep in mind that Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the country with a growing high tech influence among other things.

My circle of influence may be able to help but they are hesitant.

I will be part of the group that does everything I can to increase my circle of influence and do something about it.

Stick to the fundamentals and do not let FOMO influence your decisions.

Where do I mail your copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People?

If you haven't read How to win friends and influence people I would absolutely recommend reading through it.

General consensus seems to be that especially when starting out you should invest where you know/local to where you live, so my question is: How much should I let my interest in REI influence where I am looking for jobs?

I agree with @Twana Rasoul in that you shouldn't let rising interest rates influence your decision too much.

The rental income and expenses will influence the tax implications.If there's a loss each month, it can potentially offset other passive income.