If you have not, great books to read are:-Rich Dad, Poor Dad-The Millionaire Next Door-Cash Flow Quadrant -Tax Free Wealth-Set For Life-Rental Property Investing-The Millionaire Real Estate Investor-The REAL Book of Real Estate -So Good They Can’t Ignore YouYou can also click the network tab and look for events in your location to start networking with other investors. 

Since this was our primary residence, we went a traditional route through a realtor.

You certainly could take out a traditional mortgage to buy a property, renovate it and refinance it.

Hey BP! 
I'm a seasoned Commercial Real Estate professional (Buy and Sell Side) and getting started with my own real estate business. I just launched my first short term rental in Sacramento and now looking for new p...

Additionally the house I own and live in now was purchased with a traditional loan.

Book: Rich Dad, Poor Dad for TeensBP Blog/Podcast for Teens: How to be a Teenage InvestorAnother possibility is a part-time job working for a local property management/vacation rental/real estate brokerage.

You can get traditional financing, just be very very wary of GCs and timelines and costs.

I'm particular to that book as that was the very first REI book I read (minus Rich Dad Poor Dad) and it really opened my eyes up to what is possible.

@Laurence Fru    Traditionally converting triplex to a duplex will not be the best option but I will say that is not always the case.  

I started my RE journey earlier and I've been listening to the BP Rookie podcast religiously (as well as started reading Rich Dad Poor Dad).