Thank you for the advice and encouragement:-) Is the thinking that a local investor(s) can refer me to a lender? 

Bummer to hear this, you are at the mercy of who is scanning the color swatch, if I have a large job I will tell my contractor to mix galllons to even out the consistency..every custom color is different but miraculously have had some spot on matches.

You should study his ads but also keep in mind that markets are very rapidly saturated which suppresses rental fees dramatically.By the way, I'm noticing a LOT more business travelers booking my urban STR.

It's less money down, provides you a place to live, is in a more rapidly appreciating market, is lower risk, and gives you some training wheels to property management. 

There has been some appreciation in Pitts but nothing like the rapid rise in most east/west coast cities.

If you want to grow your portfolio more rapidly, reinvest you rental income as long as you can.

That area is appreciating rapidly and it's a good market (public schools are phenomenal). 

Hey,  I'm currently interested in finding an MTR and am looking in the Cedar Rapids, IA area. 

@Tyson ThurmanDavid Greene wrote a pretty good book called Long Distance Real Estate Investing.Also when looking into a market look up that city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report- if you scan through them it will let you know about things such as job growth, population growth, etc. 

I would suggest joining a local Rei group like MCREI .. they meet every month .. pretty sure it’s the 2nd Tuesday of every month at days inn right off 1-75 .. but check to be sure .. a lot of great people there and you can start networking .. meeting wholesalers and other seasoned investors who may just have a lead on a property or two .. scan Facebook market place, Craigslist .. local papers .. look at for sale by owners sites ..