There are also numerous meetups where you can meet other investors to network and ask questions.   

He has successfully flipped numerous houses and has run a LLC for 5 years with a lawyer on retainer for legal purposes (whereas I have no lawyer).

This agent and I went back and forth for a month or two making numerous offers on MFs in the Detroit area. 

If having children allowed me to get free room and board then I would have numerous children long ago.

Saw the inside a month after it closed.If you do not know the area and prices for the area, and have no one you trust in that area, nope, wait until you can afford a trip to look at numerous properties.

IRoseville is a great rental city, but as a landlord you can't get lazy on screening, because of the demographics of the area the margin of error between a bad applicant or good applicant is razor thin.

@Nathan McBride  I would error on the side of being pro-active, especially since your repairman advised you that they need to be replaced.  

Most of the books or websites I have read are long on generalities, but very short on actual numeric analysis. 

MichaelDon't take this wrong, but with all due respect, you'll need a ton of cash to buy a 16 unit property because you're not really bringing much to the table with beat up credit and no income.Having said that, my suggestion is to do what numerous people have done in your shoes and that is get the 16 unit property under contract and then sell the contract. 

If the deal is sitting on the MLS or Loopnet, chances are numerous of other investors have already passed on it.