Within 1-2 months, you'll learn how to spot a good investment with a napkin and crayon.

Once this is determined you can select the best neighborhood and asset that fits your capabilities. 

My recommendation would be to engage an investment property focused realtor (not a general residential realtor) and let that person guide you through the process from pre-qualification to market/property valuation and selection. 

Hi Garry,To ensure your safety, it is highly recommended to visit areavibes.com and select the "See more crime data" option.

Stainless steel appliances, cleaning service every other week and I am johnny on the spot with repairs.As a result my vacancies are not that bad even with a model designed to be somewhat transitory. 

@Brice Alef-Torrisi putting each property in its own LLC is usually overkill.Getting a bank account for each LLC is typically something you need to do to avoid "piercing of the LLC corporate veil" (actually depends on tax selection you made for LLC), but is also overkill.You haven't indicated how you are holding the deed for the latest property.If in your name or same LLC, you don't need a separate bank account.If in separate LLC, you can create a Master LLC, have each property LLC hire the Master LLC to manage their affairs, and just get a bank account for Master LLC.This is an opinion, not advice, so lookup CPA Frank Alcini in Troy for expert advice.

We bought it because it is in a great spot for long term appreciation and rent growth.Our new house in Santa Cruz County was a deal we couldn't pass up on.

Divide is a good spot for airbnbs.

Our sweet spot for our depressed are is rent 28%-31% of income.

If I would have used competent management, the manager that I picked and vetted, then it would have cash flowed, assuming they could have filled the vacancies.The big lesson I learned is that the property manager selected can make or break a deal.