After well over 1000 houses it’s proved it’s worth.BUT if you think sugar coating will work sprinkle sugar all over the conversation. certainly nicey nice communication and unabashed laughter will get you elected but it won’t buy many houses. our product is money and we best not forget that. there’s a power exchange happening in every conversation and the one who blinks first fails unless winning isn’t important.  

Your strategy of re-marketing a 3-bedroom plus office as a 4-bedroom home office is a smart way to boost rental demand and rental income without major renovations.One insight I’d add is the potential benefit of exploring cost segregation studies once you build a larger portfolio.

But I have started to take my real estate endeavors serious over the last year and my studies much more serious over the last 5 months and although I may not be ready, I am ready and eager to take that leap of faith and try and put what I know into affect with the right people and obtain my first property in the West Texas area via House Hacking or a buy and hold deal within the next 60-90 days. 

If you're going to start with one at a time, know and study your competition.Good luck....you are right in the heat of things. 

For example questions I like to ask are: What are the current rents, target rents and who did the market study to show you can get those rents?

The fact that it’s a major rehab over six figures makes it worth considering a cost segregation study.

Study the market.

Using a 1031 exchange on the gifted vacant lots depends on proving they were held for investment purposes, not personal use or quick resale.

I.e. there is no way to study multiple cities for one fee, correct? 

I will have to continue to read, brainstorm and study.