This allows you to test the waters without committing entirely to unfamiliar territory.Local Expertise: Leveraging the knowledge of local experts is invaluable.

Quote from @Zachary Luchs: I am merely just testing the waters to see where everyone is investing.

If you can do conventional you do not have this test (but talk to a lender to be sure and get your specific situation). 

.- Married couples filing jointly can exclude up to $500,000 of capital gains.Conditions for Exclusion:- Ownership and Use Test: You must have owned the property and lived in it as your primary residence for at least two out of the last five years before the sale.- Frequency: You cannot have excluded the gain from the sale of another home in the two years before the sale of this property.For a duplex where you occupy one unit and rent out the other, the rules are slightly different:- Owner-Occupied Unit: The portion of the property you lived in qualifies for the exclusion, provided you meet the ownership and use test.- Rental Unit: The portion of the property that was rented out does not qualify for the full exclusion but can benefit from partial exclusion based on the proportion of time you lived in the property.

You'll want to test the paint surfaces for lead.  

As for your partner, they need to also have passed the "use test" of 24 months out of 5 years above.

Get the plaster tested for asbestos.If renovations significantly reduce your profit margin, wholesaling the property to a more experienced investor might be more viable. 

I just tested JustCall, it was too slow.

You can buy another primary residence, and get the primary residence interest rate and low down payment options, as you see fit.There will be a BS test, since occupancy fraud is the most common type of mortgage fraud.

If you were to venture into STR I would suggest starting with one to test the market and see if it is something you would like to continue to expand into.