I'd like some help to get started with a mentor and form the relationships I need to continue on my path.

In truth, it's inconvenient to be tied to an office and many clients don't care where we sit; just that we answer our phones, respond to emails and make sure the appraisals, insurance and anything else we were supposed to do got done.Frankly, we're finding the REIA's and meetups are full of; people who want money for nothing, people who are looking for 100% financing with 500 credit scores, and gurus selling "mentor" and "mastermind" programs.Stephanie 

Find a mentor who can help.

As a junior, I played in a high school playoff basketball game there versus Immanuel Christian School, if you’ve ever heard of it lol! 

@Duncan Van Horn some "random", hopefully helpful, thoughts:1) Either hire a PMC or join a real estate investor group where you can access mentors to help you DIY manage. 2) Why don't you look into a line of credit against the land, for funds to access in case of emergency?

Biggest thing is having a good mentor or team that will help you grow your knowledge.

Seek out older, experienced mentors too (not just REI people!).

Our brokerage does a great job with mentoring.

One of my biggest challenges will be developing the patience needed to create a successful real estate investing career.I am so thankful to Mitch Deminski for taking the time to mentor me and inspire a young kid to pursue a career in real estate with the goal of financial freedom.

Start listening to the BiggerPockets podcast starting at the very beginning and start growing your network, look on Facebook/BiggerPockets for different events, find a mentor doing what you want to do, and get to know the local lenders/brokers.