Hey Miles,I am currently in graduate school in MEM for physical therapy, and over the last year or so I've been diving into the real estate world by reading books, researching online, etc.

@Daniel BaradRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

So my current situation is this:(1)Primary residence - worth 1.2mm(3) rentals:   Equity $500k.  

Be a kind human and dont treat current tenants like they are worthless.

Hello all, I am currently living in a small apartment which I am renting. 

Long term tenants in place currently paying below market rent at $1200/M.

Currently working as a lab scientist which relatively pays good but then again I'm not sure if I gotta start real estate after years of saving?

I currently have 16 doors. a 9 unit studio building, a quad with 2 bedroom units and 3 SFR .

the possibility for equity growth is amazing here, and you can only use that program if you currently own NO rental properties but you can buy as many rental properties as you want after you have that loan and live in the property. 

Look at the existing inventory in you're area, find an investor agent who has experience with house hacking, pick the best option currently on the market that fits your budget and make the offer.