Are local credit unions more flexible on these criteria?

I'm also a Realtor® here in Orlando and also on the board of CFRI, the local chapter of the National REIA.

Just got a phone call from a local fencing contractor telling me that he just finished installing a fence at one of my rentals. 

However, my local REIA is the only paid community that I am a part of and it is $200 per year.

Michigan might be a bit easier to start with because you may have more knowledge about the local area and market trends, but starting there could potentially slow down your move to Florida.

House-hacking today often has to rely on much greater lifestyle sacrifice than what I personally did 10 years ago, and requires strategies that would make me uncomfortable like rent by the room, or using local laws that allow Short-Term rental only for owner-occupants. 

Connecting with local real estate investors and getting advice from experts can help you understand market patterns and investment techniques.

I hope to learn from the collective expertise of the members on BP and build a local team in Milwaukee. 

she is beachwoodbuyshouses on ig. i'm in MA and she is my CPA. she specializes in RE and is also a VERY active investor herself. she's based in long island. you don't have to use someone local. 

Make sure to connect with local lenders and brokers too.