It’s always a good idea to visit the areas, connect with local real estate experts, and really get a feel for the market dynamics.

I believe a google search yielded the largest management players and a few conversations with them gave me a good idea of how everything worked, though things are hazy now as it's been over a year.  

I gave him some ideas, (OKC, Omaha, parts of TX) and he was dead set on the south.Thought this would be an interesting question that if you want to build a portfolio but only could target homes under 250k to hold as rentals, where would you look? 

It sounds like it could be a good idea.

I can say that I never meet with sellers to tour properties because I'm selling at a healthy discount so I don't need to hold peoples hands through the process.  

You can then use Transactional Funding if you choose, otherwise if you planned to buy the land then sell it later, you'd have to get a different loan type, which inevitably will cost you more plus longer hold time and greater costs over the double close and certainly over an assignment of contract.

Investment Info:Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment.

As @Bill Brandt mentions it's probably a bad idea to permit Great Danes in a 500 foot walkup apartment, so adjust as appropriate.

This is to empathize BUT also show reinforcement of the line-in-the-sand, holding to the reality and rules of it. 

If you are setting aside funds for capex, taxes, insurance, or other expenses that don't occur monthly, transfer those funds to Savings each month and hold them there until it's time to spend them.