@Landon Sheveland People do fix and flips while living into the property to classify the property as primary residence and not pay any capital gain taxes. if that is your intention, don't use LLC to establish this as your LLC.If your goal is different compared to what I said above, you can use LLC.

And my goal of trying it out would just to get familiar so I could potentially buy in a much better market. 

Long term goal is Property  Appreciation.Brand new single family home with 3000sqft (+ additional 1200sqft unfinished basement) on a 0.25 acre lot.

Once you're ready, create a goal (e.g., "I will buy at least one single-family home, duplex, triplex, or fourplex before the end of 2019") and then do it.

Assess Your Goals and Current Structure: Beyond replacing your handyman team, it’s important to evaluate your portfolio’s current management framework and clarify your long-term objectives.How are responsibilities currently divided among you and any co-owners or family members?

As others have stated, your fit & finish goals should be guided by whether you plan to:1) Rent: tenants don't always take care of a property, so you want to use lower-grade materials and workmanship.2) Flip: higher quality on workmanship and materials is usually required.Regardless, you always want to "Maintain to the Neighborhood".

@Eric Miller Choosing between one $600k property at 70% LTV and four $300k properties at 95% LTV depends on your goals, risk tolerance, and management capacity.

Everyone knows who the new person is and the goal is always to mess with them and test them and try to get them to spend their money on the junk so we can get the good ones. 

The book, as you know, goes over the questions you should be asking syndicators, ask Goodegg those questions and get a feel for how they align with your goals 

A tidy profit, plus confidence to tackle the next project solo.On the topic of self-directed IRAs: While they’re fantastic for gaining experience and diversifying into real estate over time, they can feel restrictive if your main goal is scaling quickly.Here’s what I’d focus on:Using Equity Wisely: A HELOC or cash-out refinance could unlock funds to pursue a flip or duplex without touching your 401(k).Partnering Smartly: Your realtor friend sounds like a great resource.