Additionally, If anyone would be willing to have a conversation about what they look for in CPA's and what they learned financially starting in the rental investing business I would greatly appreciate it! 

Yes, you should do it if you can release the losses now or in the future.

These are big enough to make financial sense but aren’t out of my price range while I continue to grow.

Is it wise to project future rents?

I use Joseph Andrews with New Penn Financial.

I would spend summers working at job sites so the construction aspect is not foreign to me.I am also a trained CFP, certified financial planner, so the numbers aspect is not confusing.I suppose the main challenge I have is actually buying a house.

Your mortgage is neither inter-bank, nor is it short term.Anyone claiming to be able to predict the future of mortgage rates with >60% accuracy, you should ask them why they aren't on Wall Street sipping champagne with Warren Buffett and netting one billion dollars per year.

Like Emily said, a number of shocking facts (or not so shocking to many landlords) have come out in the press recently on how few Americans can come up with a thousand or even four hundred dollar in an emergency....A FINRA study on The Financial Fragility of Renters was just one (with lots of stats).So no downpayment is a big one, as is credit score, and even with those who have resources, they  may want the flexibility to move or freedom from extra work or costs of maintaining and repairing the home.Even items like student loan debt or fear about the economy hold others back (still some out there who feel the sting of the housing bust).

I dont plan on buying or bidding on anything at all, rather I'd like to see what happens, how it happens and maybe more importantly WHO's making it happen.Im really very new, havent got a deal yet, but Im thinking it couldnt hurt to meet some cash buyers just to introduce myself and maybe get their contact info for future reference.I live in the Houston area and there are 2 auctions I know of; 1 for Harris county and the other for Fort Bend county.

While they don't have everything perfected quite yet I do feel that this tool is going to be very helpful in the future.