Nathan's list is a great starting point. 

Hi everybody,I currently rent and want to start my real estate journey with a duplex. 

That's a good way to start!

Keep reading that to start investing you need money.

Not sure how anyone starting out can break in without being rich or cash heavy.

The results were OK but not fantastic.A few weeks later we decided to post videos of our rehabbed units to FB and the traffic we started receiving from FB went through the roof.   

Just call around and get some quotes.I started with Liberty Mutual for all of mine once upon a time. 

Hey @Michael Walley - I'd start off by saying, you are generally in a pretty good position if you haven't already paid him.FOR SURE YOU NEED TO GET LIEN WAVIERS if you have any indication that things could go sideways - don't make a payment til you get them.I would also ask for some type of breakdown of the scope of work you are paying for as you mentioned.Here in Chicago / Illinois a general contractor has 4 months to file a mechanics lien from the last time they were working on the job.I wouldn't rush to get an attorney.

I have seen some solid deals at online auction sites, but I am not sure how to get started.

I am also looking in Milwaukee, had a real estate agent literally give me a drawn out map of the areas color coded to show the different others that are the best to the worst, I’d start looking in areas that are starting to or in the process of being gentrified.