If you find you're unable to get something right away due to your credit or income situation, you may still be able to acquire your first place creatively via a lease/option, seller financing or buying a place 'subject-to' the existing financing, plus there's always hard or private money however either of the last two would require having 'take-out' financing lined up in advance, which might be a stumbling block.

Last, and certainly not least, if you focus on qualitative factors (on top of ROI), there is an opportunity to create value and brand recognition by word of mouth (marketing, and your current tenants telling their friends that you provide a quality product/service). 

I am also trying to find a product to slip inside the ductwork to the ceiling registers.

What savings do you have and what marketable skills and education have you acquired ???

We worked out a creative custom financing deal with Providence Bank to acquire 2  x 4 unit buildings by leveraging our equity in another building.

Property that qualifies for 1031 treatment is property you purchased with the intent of holding for productive investment use (not fix n flip). 

(PM me for this crook's name if interested)  I would say, If you want to be safe, deal with the proven product. 

If you goal is to  acquire many, have a real company and self manage, then move to   Florida, you can turn that into 20 doors leveraged.  

I don’t want to paralyze myself from closing a deal, but at the same time I don’t want to make a mistake.when do you know you’ve acquired enough information?

Hope it helps. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/business/credit-score-reports-experian.htmlhttps://www.experian.com/consumer-products/credit-score.html