If there is an HOA, be sure to dive into their bylaws as they can add an additional layer of restrictions. 

If it needs to be replaced try to see if there's one layer or two - older homes almost always have two layers and this is important because it adds to your demo costs.

Building your credit is definitely a great action step that you can layer on top of your education (whether it is college or continuing your reading on REI or a combination of whatever you decide).

There are many layers, and much of it probably depends on your opportunity cost with the 401k contributions now.

But you have to vet each one first to make sure the rehab would really be in budget and that the rental potential is there.When attacking a "1% list" like what I pull I see it as peeling layers of an onion.  1% is the easiest quick and dirty barometer for potential cash flow, and there are other quick and dirty ways to estimate all the numbers based on correlations to nearby rental listings from the same MLS. 

Several city project initiatives are coming the Spartanburg to help vitality similar to Downtown Greenville. 

.- vital-importance-mentor https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- get-ready-to-invest https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- get-your-head-in-the-game https://royallegalsolutions.co...You might want to read and follow these threads:advice-to-your-20-year-old-self https://www.biggerpockets.com/...financial-advise-for-getting-started https://www.biggerpockets.com/...how-to-prepare-for-a-career-as-a-flipper https://www.biggerpockets.com/...new-to-wholesale-real-estate https://www.biggerpockets.com/...what-is-the-best-re-related-9-to-5-job https://www.biggerpockets.com/...Bonus for the weekend, my collection for starters (read the comments too, and then if you like the author, go check out what else they wrote):- stages-of-investing https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- newbies-learn-real-estate-investing https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- 5-ways-to-know-youre-not-ready-to-invest https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- ideal-vs-desperate-investor https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- how-much-to-offer-property https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- hazardous-attitudes-of-investors https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- 21-traits-scammy-real-estate-investment-guru https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- youre-not-cut-out-to-be-real-estate-investor https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- questions-new-investors-should-ask https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- real-estate-books-beginner-investors https://www.biggerpockets.com/...- what-separates-those-who-succeed-from-those-who-fail https://www.biggerpockets.com/...If that's not enough, ping me and I'll give you a whole collection of blogs and podcasts to follow.Bonus 2: 1) Read at least one hour per day every single day.2) Remember the quote by Jim Rohn "You are the average of the five people that you spend the most time with."3) Check for toilet paper before sitting down.

Ours happens to be "getting in front of motivated sellers" ... so with the changes in the business, we are protecting that vital role more now, and will continue to make sure that keeping that role thriving is the #1 priority.   

Here's a map -- select "Qualified Opportunity Zone Tract" on the "layers" button --https://www.cims.cdfifund.gov/preparation/?

You just got started :)What Jon Lee mentioned is vital.