If you close into a 30 year loan from the get go you will most likely pay a pre payment penalty of 3-5% so that strategy wouldn't make sense.

The book teaches solid “principles” of real estate, finance and law, not a strategy that either doesn’t work now or won’t work well in the future2.

It also doesn't allow to scale faster, so its not a strategy for everyone.

If a deal aligns with your strategy and financial objectives, then it could be a great opportunity regardless of the motivations of the realtor involved.As for advice for a beginner, it sounds like you're already taking proactive steps by planning a trip to scope out neighborhoods and define your buy box area.

Hi. I am in the process of purchasing a new rental property and expanding on this initiative in next few years. Currently, I own one rental property. Should I create an LLC at this point to protect my personal assets ...

A better strategy and use of time would be to actually do a STR :).

It's tricky in the beginning to get exposure to different asset types and therefore strategies, except in the academic sense via YT, BP, books & courses. 

Just because someone buys turnkey does not mean that is the only strategy they will ever follow to build their investment portfolio. 

It is important to know what is expected of you, whether you choose to manage it yourself or work with a property management firm.Exit Strategy: Develop a clear exit strategy for your investments.

I'll need to come up with another strategy.