Keep engaging on BP, listen to the podcast, and definitely read as many books as you can on REI and the mindsets that create successful investors. 

If anyone has had success with or even has horror stories about why I should or shouldn't purchase a town home as a first time rental property investor please share some suggestions or warnings. thank you all.

Much success to you in your real estate investing endeavors.

I ultimately would like to be a successful real estate investor and to create my own development company if opportunity allows for it.

Was it a successful venture?

Since I have to replace the debt from my mortgage in order have a successful exchange, I'm looking at putting some of our cash from the sale into DSTs (Delaware Statutory Trusts) that are leveraged, fractional interest products.

We are going to be using craigslist and Facebook but are there other options that are more successful? 

Throughout my education I've heard from investors of all levels of experience that pretty much everyone makes their biggest mistakes on their first flip, and that it can be considered a success to just break even on the first one.  

“Buyers are not just paying more for the same home; the mix of homes in the market is rapidly changing.”This is country-wide, but just imagine the rate it's happening at in Atlanta given the development, corporate success, announcements, cost of living, world class status, etc https://atlantaagentmagazine.com/2018/04/11/home-p...

I don't think that your friend could replicate his success starting today and going forward over the same time span.There is no one path to real estate riches.