I'd highly recommend looking at going to the Investor lab events or join the local REI.

We're a local lender and we have a bunch of newer investors who are also local.

Go to Etsy and search for "rental property tracker," and you will find hundreds of nice spreadsheets to track 10-20 rentals, usually for under $10.Software has extremely helpful features like online payments, marketing syndication (click a button, and your property is advertised on multiple sites), electronic document review/signing, maintenance tracking, and owner reports.

Investing out of state can be a good option if your local market isn't a good fit.

@Jalen De Leon I find it is always wise to seek out local lenders who truly understand the specific market you're interested in.

It's allowed me to do some of my own work like changing toilets and fixing leaking ceilings, but even if I don't want to do a job personally hopefully I'll have enough knowledge to not let a contractor over charge me, or recommend something I don't need.You'll also meet local contractors, and hopefully investors.They may offer an employee discount too.

Understand Local Laws:Familiarize yourself with local landlord-tenant laws to ensure you comply with all regulations.

I never heard why but a big name local developer bought that land and the plans so I'm excited to see what he does. 

I called a successful investor I met at local meetups who helped me walk the property (first time for me) and estimate a rehab budget so I can run the numbers and figure out what I can offer in the current market.

My local Craigslist is saturated with their ads in the housing section.