I have a clause in the lease that says the security deposit will be held in so and so bank with so and so address and interest rate will be xyz.

Some of my favorites are Portage Park, Avondale, Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Albany Park, Irving Park, the south parts of Rogers Park that boarder Edgewater/Andersonville which are getting high income renter pushover.

I would suggest that you find some local meet-ups in your area and start attending. 

I'm a bit of a nerd and pay close attention to what happens in the Arizona Legislature and there were a few bills in particular that affect housing.

There are lots more that require a little bit of human interaction and a few more that need full involvement of a person - answering the phone, some AR and AP.

It is important to look for locations with strong economic growth, rising demand for housing, employment, vacation and infrastructure developments, as well as properties that offer the potential for value appreciation or steady cash flow.

What types of properties/strategies are you looking into for your first deal?

Yes, I've heard that with first bank, but to be fair, I've heard many people complain about all 3 of them.   

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Congratulations, that is an awesome goal!