You might be a couple years away from legally being able to sign contracts, but you might find someone at REI meetings who would hire you and teach some aspects of the business that will set you up for success down the road.

I know the management side of the business very well but would like to learn more about the purchasing and owning aspect of things.

This word is important when it comes to getting started, you'll have to be strategic and decide which sacrifices you are willing to make.

Hello,  I just joined and I am very new to all aspects of real estate investing. 

Plus being a plumber or electrician is a good full time job as well, the US needs TONs of them in the upcoming years.For your research I would say start looking at the various aspects of Real Estate.  

First, This might become my first rental property, so I'm new to the analysis aspect of this.

I was/am concerned about the same thing but more from the perspective of accounting and reporting income to the IRS rather than from the aspect of borrower compliance with payment. 

I remember the year when they changed that aspect and single member LLCs were required to file on Schedule C.  

Alarm systems are advanced and affordable enough now to keep up with all aspects of their usage, to include who arms and disarms what and when, that they can be utilized to keep up with the activity taking place at the site, at least to a degree.

The troubling aspect of this is what the above scenario will do to rents...