Set for Life is always a great start to help understand the core of investing strategy, and Real Estate Rookie covers the basics of getting your first property. 

I have the funds set aside and am now contacting agents in that area.

I’d just advise you if you’re not otherwise interested in real estate to set aside a small portion of the rent each month for the time period when you will eventually have a vacancy so you have money to pay the mortgage, a small portion for maintenance costs, and a small portion for capital expenses such as when you need a new refrigerator or a new roof every 30 years.

suggestions on how to achieve cash flow and have place to stay few months in a year   (probably duplex / multi plex and have one unit for me ) Aloha Ron,It has definitely created a new set of obstacles, however, it is not impossible to cash flow on STR or LTR. 

If you start canabolizing the principal you pulled out to do debt service - you are setting yourself up for having to get even greater returns, which may not be possible without some serious increase in risk. 

my Question is: should i set my self up a license?

This way your risk is mitigated as then you have him build what you requested for a set price. 

I ram a single parent and recently lost my job and what money i do have is set aside for bills, i am however very passionate and driven with succeeding in this business.

I am trying to set up my tech stack and Im confused on what to use for what.

FF data may not truly reflect demand because many people set the radius around a city where they may only want to live in the city.