My strategy evolved to buy and hold, with an occasional flip. 

Presenters like branding expert Hank Norman highlighted strategies to create a strong brand identity that resonates with guests and sets properties apart from the competition.

not a bad strategy!

Note that I'm not asking this question looking for an excuse to give up on my dreams of real estate investing before I even start - I just want to go into things with my eyes wide open and adjust my strategies if necessary.Thanks in advance for your input guys (and gals!)

Like others mentioned the SDIRA is a great strategy but you have to follow the rules or it gets messy.

However, we remain open to exploring various investment strategies and opportunities that align with my long-term goals.

You may be giving up appreciation in these areas, but the cashflow returns the investment in less than 5 years (4 or less is ideal and very realJonathan, that strategy may work for you since you are local, hands on and doing it on a larger scale.

Moreover, the investment strategy is an excellent route to ease you into the nuances of being a landlord.  

Would I make that my strategy? 

I have experience with both fix and flips, and the BRRRR strategy.