Also with FHA you can go up to a 4 unit, that may or may not be something doable but it's something to think about as you look at getting started.Here is the ultimate guide to tenant screening, which is probably the single best source to get started with.

Also, try doing a search on BP for "bay area meetups" "nor cal meet ups", etc.Have you read the Beginners Guide to Investing, or listened to any podcasts?

A career change like this seems so daunting but knowing someone who can guide me in the right direction early on would be a great step in that direction.

It sounds like you may have already heard about the beginner's guide, but set up keyword alerts for your local area/city or interests.

If you haven't yet, be sure to check out the The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing and The BiggerPockets Podcast.

Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthere Check out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.

You have access to many potential team members through the firemen who all have 2nd careers.Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthereCheck out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast - A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice.

Be sure to read through The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing to help you get started.Also - here's a couple articles you might enjoy:The 21 Best Real Estate Investing Books Ever How to Rent Your House: The Definitive Step by Step GuideFinally -be sure to setup some keyword alerts - especially for "Gainesville" so you can jump into local conversations.See you around the forums!

@Ghazal NezafatiWelcome.Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthereCheck out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast - A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice.

Welcome to BP @Jerry Koonjbeharry A good place to start is Ultimate Free Beginners Guide here on BP