Time spent reading biggerpockets, browsing the MLS, crunching numbers on potential properties, watching RE videos on YouTube...those are not rental real estate trade or business hours.Hours spent bookkeeping for the rental, interfacing with your PM, interfacing with contractors, interfacing with tenants, etc are generally ordinary and necessary rental real estate trade or business functions.Income tax law is complex. 

I’ve watched videos and have heard it’s a good idea to work as an assistant for an existing realtor to learn the business but I have no idea how to do that.

Start reading, researching, watching videos, going to meetups, etc.

Those are popular with many investors.

most of my time has been reading threads in this section and watching Johns videos 

Where there is a need to make something happen, a way will be found to make it happen.My favorite magazine growing up in the 1960s was Popular Science.

What kind of properties make for popular rentals.

I also would like advise on funding, all the BP videos preach on how available private money is but im a realist, Im new to this, never done a deal before.

Furthermore, I have listened to multiple podcasts, and watched countless videos as well.

From the forums, to the calculators, videos, webinars and ESPECIALLY the Podcast.