How do you best utilize all the resources (networking, podcasts, resources) that BP has to offer on this site to increase your net work while decreasing the time it takes you to achieve your goals?

Start talking to wholesalers, talk to short sale agents, or plain and simple, try to get leads yourself.

You can offer to move them into the newly renovated unit at the increased price and with a standard lease.OR you can tell them that the rent is going up $50 every 6 months until it hits market and that you will be requiring a standard lease going forward. 

So I use those same metrics in my calculations anyway.I don't know what I would do in your market, but in mine it would be simple: 50% of the year STR operations, and 50% college rental with parents co-signing on the lease.

You'll find deals no one else will by doing this one simple trick after every mailing.

Very simple, but very true.

I do not plan on limiting myself to residential only, but plan on increasing my portfolio to commercial in the future; trying to ‘think big’ now and plan backwards.

As @Jay Hinrichs stated, the timber situation may have me in over my head as a rookie investor but it's never too early to have a few alternate strategies in my back pocket as my proficiency increases :) @Matt Katsaris, thanks for the heads up.

The goal is to live in our first home for 3-5 years, ride the increase in home values in Philadelphia, and then move to the suburbs. 

If you can purchase  a multi unit residence with an occupancy rate of 75% or less (as an example) and reposition the property by removing problem tenants and replacing them with quality tenants,  upgrading the property strategically, increase the occupancy rate to 95% and increase the rents to fair market value or better, then you have a gold mine!