I have plenty of experience scripting, and if I get stuck, hubster works in comp sci.

There are plenty out there.

I ended up going with a STR for the first one because the cash flow was that much better.It made it a better deal for us because we can still use it occasionally when we travel to the area but still make plenty of money to cash flow more than that of buying a triplex or a quadplex.In the end it really comes down to what are your goals for the first property.

Some areas of Kearns, Magna, and West Valley may seem a little rundown for example but plenty of people still rent there.

There are plenty of markets throughout the Sun Belt that are landlord-friendly. 

You may want to consider areas such as Cape Cod, MA or nearby states are there are plenty of opportunities not too far from you. 

There are plenty of data places but you have to pay for that.

When you come up with a price, remember there are going to be plenty more repairs than you can see from a quick walk through.

There are plenty of lenders that do not require you to be on title for any amount of time and will give you full After Repair Value (ARV).Now I will say that sometimes the way the deal is STRUCTURED will come in to play (like if you purchase the property entirely in cash or if you have multiple partners) but even in those scenarios you don't have to wait.  

This can be an online/virtual company (there are now plenty).