I would love to stay here with either a lease-to-own-option, or, to get a big cut off of my rent as a property manager for the building, since I am a licensed real estate agent. 

what are your favorite tools to discover and compare real estate markets?

Switch it to your real picture.

I love having real estate in my portfolio 

@Thomas SehonRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

I’m know to the real wastage investing game.

Hi, I am a new investor who is having an issue getting into real estate investing because of funding issues. 

What key factors should first-time borrowers consider when securing funding for their initial real estate investment?

Connect with a local investor friendly agent and start attending local real estate investing meet ups.Good luck!

I've developed a real estate agent on the island of St Croix (Cynthia Taylor) to help evaluate the properties and guide my offer.