Unfortunately, BP is full of people paid to give referrals.  

:) How do I connect with people?

By ONLY looking at people with a lot of money in stocks and bonds, they get a very different sort of person than you might find on this site.

But I get that many people starting out don't think of this, so you are right.  

I’m from Cameron NY as the location thing wouldn’t allow me to put my town I live in for some reason.The first step is just to get appointments with people who say they're interested in selling.

Prioritize education through online classes and local meetings, cultivate a network of experienced professionals, and stay current on market trends and rehab prices to ensure successful transactions.

I'm not necessarily looking to invest in this area (probably upstate), but looking to meet people in the area I can learn from/build a like-minded community to keep me motivated.

Also open to any recommended resources or people who are knowledgeable on Texas tax auctions.

Social Media is great but again just not where most people look for rentals, I don't think you'll see a return on investment for 5k monthly. 

The Palms saw prices sky rocket when people found out they had the potential to make $50k - $70k and they were selling for $170k- $300k.