However, my future plans with REI involve transitioning my primary income from nursing to REI.

With your sister involved and the opportunity to reinvest your portion of the proceeds, this feels like a solid option, especially if you’re in the early stages of building wealth.Congrats on tackling your first deal!

Meanwhile the property was deteriorating and tenants complained and got Dallas County Housing Authority involved.  

There are also several local meetups for investors so it's easy to get involved. 

This involves assessing the investor’s financial situation, investment strategy, and the specific projects they wish to undertake.

Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers.

I have never taken his course, so can't speak to that, but on the surface of a couple Google searches, of the two he seems to actually be involved in real estate a lot more.  

I was involved in R&D program with O.C. on "solving" a solar-on-the-roof solution that (a) worked and (b) was scalable. 

The ways involve a combination of undefined tech innovation and customer willingness to engage in unconventional transaction methods.There is options now, today, for buyers/sellers to transact real estate for 1% and less of the total transaction $. 

.- OP has not indicated they will involve HOA even though multiple replies suggest doing so.OP asks for advice, but seems to ignore it.