I would love to meet with some people from Central Arkansas to gain more knowledge and wisdom!

I am meeting  with  one  tomorrow.

I planned on attending the next CREI meeting but have a schedule conflict so I can't attend.

Looking forward to meeting all of you!

I also recommend you attend a local REIA meeting (check meetup.com, search Real Estate Investor) and talk to as many people as you can about your goals.

That way you get to meet real people doing real investments locally for a fraction of the cost. 

Obviously the income stream would be split 5 ways, but so too would any maintenance costs, thereby reducing the overall risk of not being able to meet any unexpected bills. 

Lack of communication and ability to keep planned meetings has us considering a change. 

A 203k Loan is where the purchase price and rehab costs are rolled into a single loan.Assuming you have a respectable FICO you can buy, with a FHA Loan (3-5% down, a 30 year amortization schedule, and a residential loan rate).

If I can continue to meet people like you on here that are willing to help out, I feel pretty good about being successful.