I completed the online application the same day and later that same day received an email back with a term sheet.

I am strongly considering starting the online courses myself but, like you, I plan to keep my W2 and use my license to save on acquisition costs or to make some money on the side through organic referrals, friends, family, etc. 

Found them off the Quickbooks website under the Support/Find a QB ProAdvisor section and they basically held my hand through the whole process of how to do enter transactions, import my credit card statements online, cleaned up my chart of accounts, etc. 

Finding a partner with capital is going to be your best bet depending on the size of the down payment needed.

Do you just find statistics of a given area online, or talking with everyone you interact with, or other ways?

Tenant laws can eat your lunch and I bet a paycheck they'll never get better.

Or simply go to county doc office online search?

My town website has an online search for Land Records So I can find notices of foreclosures, notices of liens, warranty deeds, mortgage documents etc. the day they are filed.

IMO - If someone is looking to park some money right now I would bet on Englewood, Brookside, Springdale, and Windsor Park.

You can’t really find them online (maybe on BP, but still a big maybe).