Learning to Analyze Deals and Neighborhoods

[Stephanie Bureau]

So I'm just getting started learning about investing in rental properties. I probably won't be buying anything for another 2-4 years, so right now I just want to learn how to analyze deals at least to the point where I can tell if something is obviously not a good deal without spending a lot of time crunching numbers. I also just moved to San Antonio from Indiana, so I need to start learning what are good neighborhoods and where to stay away. 

I'm listening to the podcasts and I read a lot.

So what are things that I need to learn to be able to analyze deals? (I know about the rental calculator, but i want to know how those numbers come from and are calculated) 

How or where do I look to learn how much repairs are going to cost? (my bf can do most construction type work, but there are situations where he may not be available so I'd have to do it myself or hire someone?

What criteria do you look for in neighborhoods? How do you tell if a school is good? 

Anything else I should start to learn?