The best approach is to find someone who is local to you and do a Joint Venture for the first project.

People invest in RE in many different ways and I do not think it is a one size fits all venture.

On a related note, this is Section 8 - could a person lose their section 8 through harboring or associated with a felon?

You could lose everything.If you can find one, and you can if you ask enough people, find a private lender to make a loan to you.

Welcome to BP and good luck with you future venture.

I recommend starting with "Real Estate Investing in Canada" and the "Real Estate Joint Ventures" is a another good read. 

I want to keep my sanity and not lose my cool when “ things” come up at my rentals 

If you have the right attitude and aptitude, you can learn the skills necessary.Here are my thoughts:Don't lose sight of your goal. 

I can certainly make some suggestions on a Georgia-tested lease, but I've gotta say this first...If you're raising the rent anyway, I would strongly urge you to consider adding in enough margin to have the property professionally managed.Property management is where most buy-and-hold investors lose their shirts!

This is a recipe for failure, being taken advantage of, losing a ton of money, etc.