I essentially want to have a W2 job more as a hobby and rely on my rental income to reach financially freedom.

@Isaac LopezYou may be better off going to a smaller bank / community bank.The loan products may be the same but the fees and personal touch may be a little bit better at smaller banks.

The "hardest" part is the daily action steps and commitment of time/effort to get it moving.https://store.biggerpockets.com/collections/all-books/products/finding-and-funding-great-deals Finding and Funding Great Deals by Anson Younghttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1259643883 Building Wealth One House at a Time by John SchaubIf you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out.

Standard flippers color, goes with essentially everything, and works well with a white ceiling in my book. 

If he is hiring you to find him jobs, you would essentially be marketing for him and getting paid based on what deal structure you work out. e.g. percentage of the job amount, fixed finders fee, etc.If you are starting your own contracting business, you would need to defer to TX small business laws.

I always ask myself, what is the most productive thing to do - often it is a mix of communication reinforced with some legal backup.

Whole to begin is not an investment or product to borrow from yourself.

There are some pretty nice discounts on many products and services offered as Perks to BP members that you might want to check out: https://www.biggerpockets.com/perks/proThe site has quite a few tools that can be helpful for new members.

I have heard and read many posts about how reliable cleaners are essential for STR business.

In four months they'll essentially pay an extra month of rent which helps compensate for the additional work required during turnover.I also use month-to-month when a tenant appears high-risk and I want to take them on a "trial run" to see how they perform.