Its great if someone can find a single person to teach them the business, but from my experience it's more of picking up information from a broad group of investors and incorporating that info into my routine.Hope that helps :)

I don't really have an interest in corporate america, and I want to get into real estate as soon as possible.  

I also forgot to mention that certain incorporated areas such as Inglewood DO NOT have rent-control.

Thank each and every one of you for your responses, so much great information that will definitely be incorporated.

Line up financing..Select an agent.Meet with an attorney who is familiar with investing to have contracts drawn up (Independent Contract Agreement etc)Meet with a CPA to select best incorporation/tax stategy for the investing path you have chosen.Become ultra familiar with Home Depot, Lowes, etc in terms of the products you intend to use...Anything else?

Both of us are engineers who have worked our entire careers in Corporate America.

And, I've been in corporate America long enough to have a brass pair!!! 

We listened and now have a nice elegant table with two chairs with a table setting and some flowers so you can overlook your back yard.  

Set up an LLC with articles of incorporation, EIN and an operating agreement.  

I took my current property features and entered them in on about 10 different rental sites just to see what the rents would come back as and I just about fell off my chair!