Then keep doing this every year or two and you will build a solid portfolio.

but I don't have any "builds on my record" only just done as a PM for others. 

You will build all the relationships you need if you go to add value and talk to people and learn.

Don't make asks, just ask questions.You take that relationship building and add to it podcasts with guests specific to multifamily and books on multifamily so you fully vet that as an option.

Taking this 34 Unit building and turning it into 15 market rate apartments with 3 Commercial storefronts.

So chances of finding the right buyer, (DIY saving money type), with kitchen size/layout very similar yet flexible - willing to build/spec the cabinets around the size of the counters... is exceedingly slim.

I'd like to start building the first house and go from there.

Reading and becoming educated in the industry is a great first step. 

I would definitely be building a team of lawyers, other investors and everyone else that could contribute but this would most likely be further down the road in my career.

Without these tools, you'd have to do a lot of manual data collection and copy/pasting of comps/data into a spreadsheet for every property you analyze, was kinda the reason for building this out.