What you listed above puts you light-years ahead of 90% of people your age, but you came here for advice, not kudos, so let's get down to it...First, you need to decide your risk tolerance.

I'd look for places where the kitchen is spacious and well laid out (or the price and condition is right that you can rip out the current one and replace it and still come out ahead financially).

Do you think I need a buyers realtor or is it better to just go ahead and talk with the listing agent.

Google's largest campus outside the Bay Area is in Manhattan (and meanwhile, they're pressing ahead with a 25,000-job new campus in downtown San Jose).

I’ve considered the personal/privacy implications and decided to go ahead, so pls no advice on that aspect.

What's the best way to ensure your property has high-speed internet ahead of buying?

I am moving ahead, planning an exit strategy based on budget.  

If a tenant paid their entire balance and I was going to not evict them, I would go ahead and collect their rent and not pursue the court case.But once you file your lawsuit (again, in Florida) you are no longer able to collect rent directly if you are going to proceed with your case.  

And so long as you have outsized returns (leverage) on the upside/good luck you'll come out far ahead.

So here I am wanting to make the most of the new year ahead and the questions I am always interested in for investors who have been flipping houses for a while is.....How did you fund your first flip?