You can also find real estate investing groups through meetup.com, Facebook, or a Google search.

You must work at least 750 hours per year in a qualified RE business.So most people who have high-earning W-2 jobs outside of real estate won't qualify.But the unique thing about RE pro status is that even if you don’t qualify but your spouse does, you can both file jointly and claim the losses from your RE investments to offset your other active income together.It's an incredibly powerful benefit if you do meet the criteria.

You can door-knock, build a referral base (but you probably need the business first), send out mailers, do Google/Facebook ads, or use people like Nick and Lead Minning Pros. 

I haven't been able to find any events or active Facebook groups in Cedar Rapids.I would love to connect with other investors and gain some insights into the Cedar Rapids market.

You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp.

However, if you qualify for Real Estate Professional Status (REPS) or do STR, you may offset W2 income with rental losses.

If you can claim real estate professional status, you can offset the losses from the real estate against the income from the retirement distribution.You may still be subject to the 10% penalty.The good thing about a condo is that you pay potentially be eligible to depreciate more of the property compared to other types of residential properties.Best of luck!

Assuming you spend more than 750 hours managing your properties, you would have Real estate prof. status.   

The federal government could use it's special zoning-exempt status to build the housing we need quickly within existing cities. 

Check out common places online for buying and selling, like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.