You're in the right place to network, going to some local meetups could prove beneficial to learning about investment opportunities as well.

I'd start out by reaching out to local/regional banks near the property, and local/regional banks near you, or you can can try to find a broker like me that knows those areas as well.

300 or 400 would be ok for a smaller house.You can provide You Tube TV for cable and local channels so you don't look too cheap.

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of your screen and you can search for other MEMBERS or LOCAL MEETUPS.

However, my local REIA is the only paid community that I am a part of and it is $200 per year.

If you are going to invest locally I would recommend house hacking.

Also, your small local banks may be a good options; however, they usually go into a 5/25 ARM products. 

Local mortgage brokers that work with investors can help you.5.

Seek advice from legal and tax experts to ensure compliance with local laws and tax obligations.

House-hacking today often has to rely on much greater lifestyle sacrifice than what I personally did 10 years ago, and requires strategies that would make me uncomfortable like rent by the room, or using local laws that allow Short-Term rental only for owner-occupants.