Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

While I don’t plan on flipping the house, I intend to use the property for short-term rentals (STR), and based on my research, it seems like it will perform well either as an STR or a long-term rental (LTR).Any ideas on how I can source the financing or recommendations for better lenders would be greatly appreciated!

We do not require you to use our affiliate title companies but we do recommend certain title companies for faster closings. 

My recommendation would be to take business classes at a technical college while working/ interning for a company in a field you are interested in.

I would recommend you talk to @McKenzie Stouffer - she knows a lot about STR strategy! 

Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Can anyone recommend any sites, courses, videos, or books to purchase so I can prepare for the test?

Depending on how risk adverse you are, going out of state can make sense, but I always recommend investing in your backyard (or at least being driving distance). 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

.🎯 Your 6-Month Timeline:Month 1: Foundation (5-7 hours/week)Morning routine: 1 hour daily market researchEvening routine: Deal analysis practiceWeekend: BP forums & networkingKey Goal: Analyze 10 deals on paperMonth 2: Education (8-10 hours/week)Complete 1 RE courseJoin 2 local REI groupsSchedule lunch breaks with agentsKey Goal: Build your initial power team listMonth 3: Systems (10-12 hours/week)Set up deal tracking systemCreate document templatesEstablish banking relationshipsKey Goal: Ready to make offersMonth 4: Lead Generation (12-15 hours/week)Drive neighborhoods after workWeekend open housesSetup automated MLS alertsKey Goal: Generate first 5 qualified leadsNow, the Owners and Brokers you deal with may not enjoy this, but you can certainly "practice" making offers.