Part of my list was absentee landlords and I have found three potential mentors from the campaign.

You could find someone like a mentor to answer some of you questions.  

The smart thing to do in my view as a newer investor is to find a good expert/mentor investor in your area who is willing to feed you some deals.

Get a mentor?

I would suggest teaming up with someone who has done it a few years OR find a mentor to walk you through a few but that could be pricey.

I like the idea of having a mentor/partner who is experienced helping me make the right decisions and make money more efficiently. 

I listen to BP podcasts, plan on going to REIA meet ups, have sort of a newbie mentor, and have an investor-friendly agent referred to me by my mentor.What additional steps can I take to find my first deal?

I am currently look for a mentor to help me get started investing in the Rochester area.

I am looking for a mentor in the Austin, TX area.

But at this point, I am limited to a defined budget.I went to ListSource.com and generated a list for my area of homes with 40% or more equity, 3+ bedrooms, 2+ bathrooms, no junior liens, property value $75,000-$200,000, single-family home, and an age of 65 or older (not set on old folks but looking for filters).