I'm new to the REI world, currently living in Elizabeth City, NC while working in Norfolk, VA as an active duty Sailor in the USN.

HI Blake,You can always start off by house hacking meaning you live in one UNIT or ROOM and renting out the other vacant units/rooms to offset your monthly mortgage payment.There are several ways to run and make sure you are maximizing your rental income while keeping your living expense as low as possible.

The plan is to rent out the top unit to a long term tenant and for us to live in the middle unit until we move out (if we ever do). 

Also, is the "service date" strictly the date the property was brought into a serviceable state, or the date the listing goes live? 

Biggest thing to remember when searching for a mentor is to add value to their lives or business.

I’m able to assist .

I’ve lived in it solo the whole time.

I live in South Bay and I am interested in investing in Indy as well.

Remember that effective mail campaigns require multiple touches, and it's important to continue skip tracing to reach absentee owners who may not receive standard mail.If cold calling isn't your preference, consider hiring a virtual assistant (VA) to manage this task for you. 

I went to school in Santa Barbara and ended up living and investing in Reno.