This is counter-intuitive to my goal - slow and steady save to purchase our first investment property (with more to follow). 

Would appreciate any input on where to invest - Henderson, NV or Phoenix/Tuscon, AZ? 

You could also explore using a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or a cash-out refinance to tap into the $100k equity and use that capital to invest in additional properties, all while keeping the current home as an asset.

Housing prices in Beloit are definitely cheaper than Janesville, and Janesville is (for obvious reasons) significantly cheaper to invest in than Madison.Can't be of help to the property management part though... we've looked and looked but haven't found a company we are comfortable with... your best bet there would be to join up with the Southern Wisconsin Landlords Association and network for a quick recommendation. 

I have spent the past several years studying market trends, analyzing potential investment properties, and building a network of industry experts.I'm specifically looking for a fellow investor located in the New York area who is interested in collaborating on initial buy and flip projects.

If I was looking to learn how to actually invest in real estate though, I wouldn't waste my money.

I am new to the BP forums, and am looking for ways to invest in real estate.

Credit score- the higher the best. 760-780+ generally gets best pricing for investment property loans with most lenders.

Start by reading the Ultimate Real Estate Investing Guide: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides/ultimate-real-estate-investing-guide/introduction2.

I'm in the Reno Tahoe, Nevada area and open to network, share market information, and discuss multifamily investing.