Do you have any suggestions for where I can research linear markets or any Areas in particular to start looking/educating myself on. 

Go tot eh educations tab and select forums.

I am fairly new and am trying to really stretch my marketing/education budget - so what were the most impactful, bang for your buck experiences?

I am just starting and have a tight marketing/education budget so I really only want to pick the best experiences that will make me money and I can utilize forever in my new career.

I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but @Brandon Turner wrote a pretty comprehensive book on investing with low and no money down, which is linked here.Outside of that, I'm still learning myself.

I ended up going with what seemed to be one of the lower priced companies that is associated with one of the big real estate education companies, and came highly recommended by a large turnkey investment company that partners with them.

I would suggest attending your local real estate meetups, Joining a group and educating yourself while repairing your financial situation. 

Probably not worth the effort.Even if the previous owner had a move in check list at the time she moved in two years ago, the list may not be comprehensive, and any dispute would require you, the tenant, and the previous owner to reconcile...you are most likely dealing with two unwilling party.There is also the question whether an existing damage to a property, regardless of whether tenant occupied or not, is really between you and the last owner and or the current tenant. 

I have been slowly educating myself on real estate and have a huge interest and strong motivation to get going on this journey. 

The reason why I recommended trying to get in with the big guys is #1) for the training and education you would get and #2) access to software that can be otherwise quite pricey.