By "my own," I mean I am my own Client.Is operating as an REA in the Bay Area an effective way to generate starting capital with which to invest?

Paying off your credit card debt will have the most obvious positive effect on your bottom line.

Here are some of the strategies I've seen marketers use to make their efforts less effective:1: Ask me to call as soon as possible, but don't include a phone number anywhere on the mailing.2: Don't include any sort of contact info -- company name, address, etc. -- so that I have no way to check to see whether this is a scam. 3: Send me offers to buy for cash properties I have never had any sort of interest in, ownership or otherwise. 

That is the question:) We find ours through direct mail (costly but still effective), craigslist (learn how to weed through the junk), and our website with FB ads.

If you have already told them to call the police and they refuse, I don't see how you can effectively do anything until something does happen - unfortunately if there is something amiss - and without either neighbor corroborating one another story.Could it be that those neighbors and your tenant have somehow fallen on bad terms with one another and the neighbors are now complaining in hopes of your not renewing their lease?

If so, how will you be able to effectively manage and protect the property?  

I told him that we would come today to remove the effected ceiling.

but that's the way it works in the land development game.. you hit it right and it can be good.. you hit a bummer and you can kiss your money good buy.. the 100k for us was nothing just cost of doing business not that we did not like it.. but it did not effect our business or financial standing in any way.

Any Insurance+Taxes paid by the lender is held "in escrow" basically forever, unless there's a clause going into effect at a LTV of 80%Is this what you're asking??

Ryan Moore - a couple things I do for my rentals.1) I get an inspection, then use that as my starting repair list2) Replace with New vs Repairing: if something was close to the end of its effective age, I would bite the bullet and go for a full replacement.