I will note, personally, I am a passive investor, as well.I would generally agree with your assessment.  

Yes a new person's experience could absolutely be different. 

I'm new and want to meet educated and seasoned investors. 

These sellers typically want a fast sale to move on with their lives and avoid ongoing conflicts.Relocating SellersPeople who need to relocate for a new job, military deployment, or other personal reasons often seek a quick sale to avoid the burden of managing a long-distance property.Inherited PropertiesHeirs who inherit a property they don't want to maintain or manage may be eager to sell quickly.

That's how I personally invest nowadays.

Quote from @Chris Seveney: Personally if you have one mortgage already that is negative cashflow I would be hesitant to buy rright now, especially in canada where from reports their housing situation for pricing is far worse than the US on affordability and just like US, people think prices can only go in one direction but reality is they are moving in the opposite direction."

I personally believe that landlords can be great change agents in a community.  

Second would be connecting with RE folks in your local market either in person or here on BP.I think house hacking in McDonough is a great place to start.

House hacking is how I personally got started with real estate investing and how I help the majority of my clients get their foot in the door.

Then go and get a good umbrella policy personally.