Now that it's a rental the home barely cashflows due to expenses and the high mortgage.

Hoping these qualities can help me in the long run!

While masterminds can be beneficial, they can also be expensive and vary greatly in quality.

He also has not bounced checks there and is not a high risk type of account. 

Defining the class of the neighborhoods is the tough one to start that grade C out for...I have some clients unused to the mid-west who are used to high-end suburbs who consider our better areas a B- area.Personally, I classify the C- anything I verify I have easy access to my spare magazine before I enter a vacant property.

The issue with high interest rates is they are even higher for foreign investors.

If you can't keep control of your personal finances, you are highly unlikely to succeed in real estate investing.

I would highly take his advice on a lot of this.  

Houfy is a great cheap option, but I highly recommend creating a branded website to enhance your guest experience and be able to house resources, local favorites, etc. 

Market Knowledge: These agents typically have in-depth knowledge of the local real estate market, including areas with high investment potential, upcoming developments, or changes in zoning laws that could affect property values.