I have a few properties but I'm still very new so I have a lot of questions and need guidance so hopefully someone who's fairly easy to reach and patient with an out of state investor.

I'm a slow and steady, boring investor that has bought a property every 12-18 months for the last 3-4 years and plan on continuing to do just that for the foreseeable future...just getting the snowball rolling downhill patiently and persistently.Don't pay for a mentor.

Proactive maintenance not only enhances tenant satisfaction but also reduces the likelihood of more costly repairs down the line.

To bring your str to the next level having high levels of communication can be a huge benefit to ensure guest satisfaction.

I can't advise you on where you want to live as that's very personal, but regarding your criteria of 3 bedroom/2 bath (I'm assuming for at least one of the units) at $400K, you're going to need to manage your expectations and be patient.  

The hardest part is getting them to be patient in a challenging market with low inventory and high prices that don't align well with financing.  

That reason will be different for each potential mentor--some mentors will want a monetary return on their time, others will want leads, some will want you to solve problems for them, some simply want the satisfaction of helping you (it's not always about money), some might even be willing to mentor you if they like your sense of humor or personality...but point being: you have to figure out what the mentor wants, and then decide whether you can bring that thing to the table.

Their team is very organized with different people having different responsibilities, but each of them acted like they sincerely cared about their image and customer satisfaction.

Should I just stay patient and wait for the perfect deal?

The more you know, the better your decisions.Lastly, be patient and stay curious.