Best/first thing to do is get educated.

After that I hope to break into real estate somehow ( I've yet to decide exactly what I'll do—I'm in the early stages of education/exploration).

Marketing strategies, employee requirements, compliance costs/requirements, software costs, training/education, insurance requirements, etc all are not within any model that you would use one another industry model...it is it's own animal, Without explicit insider knowledge of the escrow profession, it is usually a suicide mission to start up an escrow operation.

At BP, you can network with tons of investors, watch and learn from the free online videos and educational courses, and listen to BP's podcast in itunes.

@Carlos Guzman - As per PA Real Estate Law, new licensees must take 60 hours of education prior to taking the Real Estate License Test.

Best/first thing to do is get educated.

Start by clicking the "Education" button at the top of this page - there's enough info there to keep you busy learning the ropes for months.

At BP, not only do you get to connect with other real estate investors, you can watch from the free online videos, learn from the free educational online courses, and listen from BP's podcast in itunes.

You have joined the society where you don't have to pay for an education, help, advice, or support.  

As I am moving along in my education on RE I am starting to see a major need to track local market performance.