Everybody's map is ultimately going to be different- how I got my first properties is going to be different than you but if you stick to what you want to, trust your own judgment, and do not allow yourself to be caught up in the fear you will be fine.  

All I can do is think of ways I can be a resource and pray for those all who are affected and who are currently fearing "what is the next step and how can we recover?

No fear!

But you all have convinced me I don't need to quit my day job in order to do this, and I'm feeling much more  confident that I know enough about most of the big hazards to get over my fear of getting started.  

After about 3 years of listening to podcasts and reading books, I finally got past my fear and closed on my first fix and flip 3 days ago. 

my biggest fear in Real estate investing is the lunging dog.....not just being in a back yard, but particularly from being the unfamiliar face in the middle of a dead end neighborhood street....in NE Florida....a territorial dog is often loose,, or if charged up enough easily can snap the tethered tie leash or hop the small small fence...

I now have ABSOLUTELY no fear of crawling underneath a 2 story 1900's house and having to exhale to fit under a floor joist.

Quality units in each market will be the high range of that market.I fear if you go below 2.5X, the tenants may not be able to afford the rent and that as soon as something goes amiss that they will fail to be able to make rent. 

@Roston Elwell I'll leave it to our TX CPA brethren to confirm but I fear you will. 

Supposed you didn’t read this article or simply ignored it… Have no fear!