I would definitely seek counsel from another attorney. 

I agree you definitely do not want to start with the Auctions.Regarding Direct Mail Google "Direct Mail for Real Estate Investors"  and search right here in Bigger Pockets for reviews on direct mail vendors. 

@Rich Dooley I can definitely relate to that.

It's definitely the "wow" part of the house when people walk in .... but I also worry about the replacement cost of the custom windows that are each about 8' x 2.5'.

Definitely read up all you can on the area of real estate investing you're interested in.

The Real Estate one is definitely one on my list I actually just finished reading the Business of the 21st Century!

24 units is definitely a decent size and you spread your risk and keep a big % of your income when a tenant or two move out. 

While you could definitely handle the communication and management from home; you DON'T want to be driving to clean. 

There are pockets of 35805 that you can definitely find good properties and positive cash flow. 

I think they can work, and I have different partners on a number of deals, but you should definitely know who you're dealing with and be super explicit about who's responsible for what, especially what happens if things don't work out as planned.For example, what if a tenant really trashes a unit/property and it takes several months to re-do and re-rent, making you cash flow negative for the year.