*Step 2- Tenant signs lease agreement with the rent-to-own clause outlining the details.

As far as action steps to get your first deal should do the following:1.

Focusing on getting rock solid insurance may be a better first step.  

I would appreciate any other advice or expertise on the first couple of steps I should take to get myself in the right direction.

Yes it is amazing how hard it is to get individual advice tailored to your personal situation.What did you learn about affordable care act when you stepped away from traditional employment?

It's in a challenging area where Section 8 is virtually my only tenant base—not a slum by any means, and the house itself is in great condition.Here are the options I'm considering:A) Keep and Re-rent to Section 8: By investing in some upgrades (paint, cabinetry, toilets), I can increase the rent to $2k (from $1800), projecting a cash flow of approximately $1300/month.B) 1031 Exchange into a Short-Term Rental (STR) in Shenandoah: This would involve using a portion of the proceeds to make the property Airbnb-ready.

make sure to get an appraisal done so you can determine what your step up in basis is.

Establishing your team here is the 1st step towards success.

It takes several steps out of the traditional process of setting up a phone appointment.

Remember that the real estate community is here to support you every step of the way.