I had the mindset that I needed to be educated before I jump into real estate and that the DMV area was too expensive for a beginner but that mindset started to become an excuse.

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

After several years of education, preparation, and researching countless markets and strategies, my wife and I finally turned all the theory into reality and bought our first rental property in 2020.

Have you checked out having your class paid for by a military education source (in some form)?

https://realwealth.com/   Lot's of good resources and education and free to sign up. 

I guess from a developers perspective, I'd take an educated guess that if you had 2 properties right next to each other, identical in size, lot size, bedrooms bathrooms etc, but 1 a MFH & the other a SFH, it seems that the SFH would sell for more, and probably cost less (less framing, doors, windows, appliances, boilers / furnaces / water tank etc

We are willing to work hard and educate as much as we can.

Plans unveiled for $2B Pearson Ranch mixed-use hubThis is a collosal development project in Northwest Austin and in a rapidly expanding growth sector near the new Apple Campus.  

Connect with @Zack Karp or @Michael Facchini they can definitely help get you pre-qualified and better yet give you some loan education. 

Although I am not happy about paying at least $250 (if it's easy and he doesn't show up to court) and as much as $750 -- plus several court, filing, and sheriff fees -- this is one where the education I get through observation is worth it to me.