I would NEVER trade that experience for anything, despite the hassles. 

I think your income easily justifies a common-sense, time-proven method: increase earnings, reduce expenses, save, and invest.

You mentioned a career change, I think going into the trades like plumbing and electrical are great and you can make good money doing those, but I think you may be taking on too much by trying to do that right now.

Find Brandon's videos on YouTube for the "four square" method of analyzing homes and practice.

That being said, the trade off are higher fees and rates.

Some recommend the STACK method also.

I would ask any friends and family who are in the trades for referrals. 

The trade-offs are real, but for consistent cash flow and the right landlord, it can be an excellent strategy.What’s the best way to start?

I'm not 100% sure about each one's different benefits and cons, but which method would you recommend to use if you were in my position?

Currently I view real estate investing (REI) as a method of generating additional income apart from my 9-5.